PTC has acquired US-based Kepware as it steps up its bid to drive IoT deployments in manufacturing.
Global provider of technology platforms and solutions PTC has announced the completion of its acquisition of Kepware, a US-based software development company providing IoT communications connectivity to the industrial sector. The move will enhance PTC’s portfolio of IoT technology, while accelerating its entry into the automated factory setting.
Back in June 2015, Gartner released a research report titled ‘The Internet of Things: Mapping the Value Beyond the Hype‘. Inside, the introduction of IoT technology into the factory setting was labelled as, in all probability, one of the most lucrative sources of value by the McKinsey Global Institute.
Kepware’s KEPServerEX will be incorporated into PTC’s ThingWorx IoT technology platform. This will see, once integration is complete, machine data aggregated by ThingWorx and then analysed using the platform’s learning capabilities. It’s a move which will give industrial organisations enterprise-wide insight and the opportunity to proactively optimise processes, improving performance, overall product quality and time to market.
In an official press release, PTC stated that “with Kepware, PTC will be able to accelerate its delivery of world-class solutions to industrial environments, and help manufacturers, infrastructure operators, and others realise the enormous potential of the Industrial Internet of Things. We welcome and look forward to working closely with our Kepware employees, customers, and partners.”
PTC CEO Jim Heppelmann has no doubts about the importance of the acquisition and how many doors it will open for his company. He said “With this acquisition we will gain entry into heterogeneous factory and operating environments with robust technology, an impressive list of customers, and a high-quality, profitable company with incredibly talented employees.”
The sheer diversity within industrial manufacturing will be a huge challenge in developing truly connected and smart factories. But through the aggregation of external data inputs and industrial controls, PTC’s assimilation of Kepware into its ThingWorx platform will propel the company’s leadership in what is a demanding and evolving sector.