Corporate Profile

Alibre Design is known for its ease of use and integrated real-time support through the Alibre Assistant, an integrated link to Alibre for real-time expert guidance as you use the application.

Founded in 1997, the privately held company is based in Richardson, Texas.

The Market
Today's CAD users, from individuals and small shops to large enterprises, are questioning the cost and complexity of traditional 3D solid modeling applications, as well as the poor service they receive from vendors. Typical mid-range software costs $4,000 to $5,000 per seat, plus around $1,300 in annual maintenance contracts. High-end applications start at $10,000 and can run as high as $20,000 or more.

Both existing users of these applications and prospective customers are balking at these prices. Engineering departments -- whether they have 2 or 200 CAD users -- are examining budgets and questioning the high cost of annual maintenance, training and upgrades. Small shops see the high price tag as an impossible expense. CAD users who want to switch from 2D to 3D design find most 3D packages difficult to learn, and cite the cost of training and the long learning curve -- up to six months before becoming productive -- as barriers.

Alibre Design has redefined 3D CAD with its low price, as well as with the training, support and upgrades that are included for the first year. The application provides professional 3D solid modeling, 2D associative drawing creation, integrated data management, real-time team design through an Internet architecture, and online support that lets users talk -- and design -- with Alibre experts in real time as they work.

The Benefits

• Alibre Design is so affordable that it puts 3D parametric solid modeling within anyone's reach.
• Experienced 2D drafters and engineers who want to try 3D design now have a low-cost application.
• Engineers experienced in 3D solid modeling now have a low-cost application that can supplement or replace the expensive CAD software they use.
• One-on-one training, upgrades and support are included for the first year with purchase, to ensure that users have a good start and a positive experience.
• Alibre Design is easy to learn and use, so it lets users become productive in hours or days, rather than the weeks and months it usually takes engineers to learn new CAD software.
• With its online features, Alibre Design lets users be connected with both Alibre and their own colleagues. A contact list in the application shows whether other users are online or offline, including the Alibre Assistant, an alias for customer support representatives that users may contact spontaneously for real-time expert guidance in using the application.
• Alibre Design enables design and manufacturing groups to work together over the Internet, and to securely share design data and manage revisions, simultaneously in real time or asynchronously.
• Easy, spontaneous collaboration between work teams reduces expenses for travel and for shipping drawings, and saves the cost of the time associated with these delays.

The Options
Alibre Design may be purchased by phone or online by individuals, or by companies that need multiple seats.

Additionally, Alibre Design is available through private exchanges for large manufacturers and their suppliers. A manufacturer may choose to host the application on its intranet behind a firewall, externally at a remote hosting facility, or with Alibre. Alibre Design uses user authentication and SSL data encryption technology to assure OEMs who host the application externally that their data is secure.

No matter where Alibre Design is hosted, seamless online deployment lets companies avoid having to install each user individually. Periodic enhancements and upgrades are automatically applied whenever users launch the application.

Corporate History
Paul Grayson and Steve Emmons founded Alibre in 1997 with a vision of improving the mechanical product development process through the communications capabilities of the Internet. Grayson, founder and former CEO and chairman of Micrografx, is considered a technology industry luminary for leading Micrografx' early innovation in the Microsoft Windows environment. Emmons worked with Grayson at Micrografx and has more than 19 years experience in developing commercial graphics, multimedia and Internet-related software products.

With its launch in 1999, Alibre was the first company to offer a mechanical product development application that was marketed, sold and supported via the Internet.

In 2002, the company launched several major releases of Alibre Design including version 4.0 in April which introduced a multi-window interface and major enhancements and new features. Alibre Design 5.0 was released in September. Alibre also began a reseller program in 2002 and a Solution Partner program for companies with related products in the engineering and manufacturing industry.