What CIDEON Software & Services does

CIDEON Software & Services GmbH & Co. KG is a German engineering digitalization specialist headquartered in Gräfelfing near Munich, employing 310 staff across 13 locations in Germany and Austria, and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Friedhelm Loh Group. The company functions as a CAD/PDM/PLM/ERP system integrator and process consultant, building bidirectional interface solutions that connect major CAD authoring environments (Autodesk AutoCAD, Inventor, Vault; SOLIDWORKS; Solid Edge; EPLAN Electric P8; Onshape; Fusion; Dassault 3DEXPERIENCE) with SAP PLM/ERP and the PRO.FILE PDM platform. Its proprietary software portfolio includes CIDEON Conify for configure-to-order variant production, CIDEON Sparify (cloud-based 3D spare-parts catalog on Autodesk Platform Services), CIDEON Conversion Engine for product-information processing, CIDEON CAD Scanner for 2D/3D data validation, CIDEON 3DX SAP Interface, CIDEON Release Migrator, and toolboxes for Inventor and Vault, supported by a subscription-based CIDEON Consulting+ service that bundles consulting, support, and tool access at fixed annual price.

The firm is an Autodesk Platinum Partner and SAP Platinum Partner (for software development), and resells Autodesk software (Inventor, AutoCAD, Vault, PDMC, AEC Collection) alongside proprietary offerings. Revenue is generated through a mix of proprietary software licensing/subscriptions, quote-based enterprise consulting and implementation projects, professional training, 24/7 support and managed services, Autodesk software resale, and recurring service subscriptions. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting machine builders, plant constructors, and complex-product manufacturers across German Mittelstand and global industrials, with North American coverage provided via LeverX (Prime Authorized Partner since January 2019) and additional sales reach via the NTT DATA Business Solutions partnership (signed September 2023). Named customers include RWE, DHL, Tetra Pak, Sartorius, HAWE Hydraulik, Aerzener Maschinenfabrik, ELOPAK, Neumann & Esser, and Qlar (formerly Schenck Process), spanning energy, logistics, food processing, medical, hydraulics, and industrial equipment sectors.

Name

CIDEON Software & Services

Legal name

CIDEON Software & Services GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://cideon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CIDEON Software & Services is a German engineering digitalization specialist and dual Autodesk/SAP Platinum Partner that integrates CAD, PDM/PLM, and ERP systems for manufacturers and machine builders across Germany and Austria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

CAD/PLM/ERP Integration Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

ERP/CRM/HRIS Implementation & Integration (BPAEAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data/Apps Connectivity & Adapters (Connectors, Drivers, SDKs) (HDAEAIAK), Enterprise Application License Advisory, Vendor Management & Optimization (BPAEAGAO), Developer Experience (DevEx) Tooling & Productivity Engineering (BPAEAKAM)

Keywords

• CAD PLM integration
• ERP engineering software
• Product data management
• Digital engineering transformation
• CAD interface solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Gräfelfing

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing & Subscriptions: Revenue from proprietary software products including PRO.FILE PDM solution, Cideon Conify, Cideon Sparify, and various SAP integration tools
2. Consulting Services: Process consulting, implementation services, and the Cideon Consulting+ subscription model providing ongoing CAD/PDM support at fixed annual price
3. Software Implementation: Implementation services for Autodesk and SAP software solutions including system integration and configuration
4. Training Services: Professional training for Autodesk software, PRO.FILE, SAP ECTR and other solutions
5. Support Services: 24/7 support for CAD, PDM, PLM environments including Managed Services with ongoing monitoring and proactive maintenance
6. Autodesk Software Resale: Resale of Autodesk software products as Platinum Partner including Inventor, AutoCAD, Vault, and related solutions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

CIDEON Software & Services provides proprietary integration software and engineering consulting that connect CAD authoring systems (Autodesk, SOLIDWORKS, Solid Edge, EPLAN, Onshape, Fusion, 3DEXPERIENCE) with enterprise PDM/PLM and ERP platforms (SAP, Autodesk Vault, PRO.FILE). Its core products - CIDEON Interfaces, SAP CAD Integrations, Cideon Conify, Cideon Sparify, Cideon Conversion Engine, and Cideon CAD Scanner - automate bidirectional product and engineering data exchange. The company also resells Autodesk software and delivers professional services (process consulting, implementation, training, 24/7 support) for digital transformation in engineering at manufacturing and plant construction companies.

Product overview

CIDEON Software & Services is a system integrator and process consultant offering a comprehensive portfolio of software solutions and services for digital transformation in engineering. The core offering centers on CAD/PLM/PDM integration solutions (CIDEON Interfaces, PRO.FILE, SAP CAD Integrations) that enable seamless data flow between CAD authoring systems (AutoCAD, Inventor, SOLIDWORKS, Solid Edge, EPLAN, Onshape, Fusion, 3DEXPERIENCE) and enterprise systems (SAP ERP/PLM, Autodesk Vault, PRO.FILE). Key products include CIDEON Conify for variant/configuration management, CIDEON Sparify for digital spare parts catalogs, CIDEON Conversion Engine for format automation, CIDEON CAD Scanner for data validation, and CIDEON Consulting+ for subscription-based CAD/PDM support. CIDEON operates as an Autodesk Platinum Partner and SAP Platinum Partner, reselling and implementing Autodesk software (Inventor, AutoCAD, Vault, PDMC, AEC Collection) and providing SAP ECTR integrations. Additional add-on modules include CIDEON Inventor Toolbox, CIDEON Vault Toolbox, CIDEON 3DX SAP Interface, CIDEON Release Migrator, and various SAP Add-Ons. Services include process consulting, implementation, custom software development, training, and 24/7 support with managed services options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CIDEON Interfaces Interface solutions enabling reliable and automated data exchange between CAD applications and ERP, PDM, and PLM systems. Eliminates duplicates and errors when entering data. Sold as a standalone product family covering 3DX-SAP, Eplan-PRO.FILE, Onshape-SAP, Fusion-SAP, Vault-ERP and other interface bundles.
• PRO.FILE PDM Product Data Management (PDM) solution tailored to German medium-sized businesses, providing simple configurability for managing design data. Distributed and implemented by CIDEON as a Platinum-tier partner of the PRO.FILE (AICOS) platform.
• SAP CAD Integrations SAP CAD interface suite enabling seamless integration of CAD data into SAP PLM. Connects AutoCAD, Inventor, SOLIDWORKS, Solid Edge, and EPLAN with SAP through SAP Engineering Control Center (ECTR) and SAP PLM System Integration (PLMSI).
• CIDEON Conify Standardized software solution for variant production that links sales and engineering data. Enables Configure-to-Order (CTO) by standardizing complex product developments while realizing individual requirements in series production.
• CIDEON Sparify Cloud-based web application for digital spare parts catalogs. Visualizes CAD models and PDM data in 3D, simplifying spare parts selection and ordering for end customers. Available in Basic and Professional editions.
• CIDEON Conversion Engine Product information processing tool based on events and rules, handling various data sources and formats. Enables complete automation of neutral and exchange format generation for SAP.
• CIDEON CAD Scanner CAD data validation add-on for Autodesk AutoCAD and Inventor that checks and compares 2D and 3D CAD data fully automatically.
• CIDEON Consulting+ Annual subscription providing ongoing CAD and PDM consulting at a fixed annual price. Bundles software installations, configurations, release updates, first/second-level support, and training.
• CIDEON SAP Tools (SAP Add-Ons) Collection of best-practice SAP add-ons integrating time-saving processing routines to automate everyday SAP processes. Includes Import PDM, Document Function Manager, Title Block Change History, Naming Catalog, and Status Change Assistant.
• CIDEON 3DX SAP Interface Server-side integration optimized for stability and data security that couples Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE with SAP ERP/PLM for bidirectional data exchange.
• SAP PLM Cloud Integration (SAP PDI Connectors and SAP PLMSI) Cloud-ready integration suite enabling flexible transition from on-premises to Cloud SAP PLM. Includes SAP Product Data Integration (PDI) connectors for major CAD authoring systems and official SAP PLMSI interface for Autodesk Vault Professional.
• CIDEON Release Migrator Standalone tool that automatically and reliably converts legacy CAD data to the latest CAD release version, fully recalculating and validating all components, assemblies, standard parts, and drawings.
• Autodesk Software Resale Resale of Autodesk software products (Inventor, AutoCAD, Vault, Product Design & Manufacturing Collection, Architecture Engineering & Construction Collection) under CIDEON's Autodesk Platinum Partner status.
• Process Consulting Consulting service that helps customers understand engineering and IT challenges, derive digitalization potentials, and decide together on a transformation roadmap.
• Implementation Services Professional services for project execution, leveraging decades of CIDEON consulting and implementation experience to deploy CAD, PDM/PLM, and ERP integration projects.
• Software Development Services Custom software development service providing tailor-made solutions aligned to specific customer processes and engineering workflows.
• Trainings Professional software training in English covering Autodesk software, PRO.FILE, SAP ECTR, and other CIDEON-supported solutions. Available exclusively for companies on request.
• Support Services 24/7 support for CAD, PDM, and PLM environments, including Managed Services with ongoing monitoring and proactive maintenance for long-term operational security.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fully automated engineering in 8 months achieved for Teledoor using Cideon Conify
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

AI capability2 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NTT DATA Business SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 September 2023Sales partnership signed September 6, 2023 at Cideon UpSpace in Düsseldorf. NTT DATA Business Solutions enhances its consulting and support portfolio with Cideon products, solutions and services for SAP PLM based on Engineering Control Center (SAP ECTR). Enables holistic SAP implementation including both ERP and PLM from single source.
• LeverXcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Effective January 1, 2019, Cideon America transferred business activities to LeverX Group. LeverX acts as Prime Authorized Partner of Cideon Software & Services, Germany, distributing SAP PLM products and services in North America. Business operations and core team integrated into LeverX Inc.
• AutodeskcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutodesk Platinum Partner - highest tier partnership status for resale and implementation of Autodesk software including Inventor, AutoCAD, Vault, and related solutions. Cideon provides implementation, training, and support for Autodesk products.
• SAPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSAP Platinum Partner for software development - highest tier partnership for SAP PLM solutions, CAD integrations, and related services. Cideon develops and distributes SAP-related software products.
• PRO.FILE (AICOS)coreTechnology or IntegrationPRO.FILE PDM solution partner - PRO.FILE is a PDM solution tailored to German medium-sized businesses. Cideon provides implementation, interface development, and support services.
• Friedhelm Loh GroupcoreOthersParent company - Cideon is part of Friedhelm Loh Group, a globally successful Group with 12 production facilities and 95 subsidiaries. Provides global scale, resources, and brand backing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Autodesk: Platform incumbent whose CAD, Vault PDM, PDMC, AEC, and Autodesk Platform Services product lines Cideon resells and extends. Broad incumbent because Autodesk could both enable and compete with Cideon's integration layer through deepening native connectivity.
• NTT DATA Business Solutions: Global SAP-focused SI and former itelligence. Broad incumbent peer given the 2023 strategic partnership to distribute Cideon's SAP PLM solutions; competes for the same SAP-led engineering transformation budgets at a much larger global scale.
• Dassault Systèmes: Owner of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and CATIA/SOLIDWORKS authoring tools. Broad incumbent peer: Cideon already integrates 3DEXPERIENCE with SAP via the 3DX SAP Interface, and Dassault's continued push into manufacturing PLM makes it both a partner and adjacent competitor.
• Capgemini Engineering: Global systems integrator (formerly Altran) with deep PLM, digital twin, and engineering transformation practices. Broad incumbent peer because it competes for SAP/Autodesk-led engineering digitalization mandates at large European industrials and has the scale to undercut mid-size specialist SIs.
• SAP: Provider of S/4HANA, SAP PLM, and Engineering Control Center platforms that Cideon's interfaces integrate with. Broad incumbent because SAP could absorb deeper CAD/PLM integration functionality, materially affecting Cideon's SAP integration product line.

Emerging players

• Aras Innovator: Open-source enterprise PLM platform increasingly adopted by manufacturers seeking alternatives to SAP PLM and Autodesk Vault. Emerging-player peer — overlapping with Cideon at the customer level (mid-large manufacturers seeking PLM modernization) but not directly competing as an SI.

Direct peers

• CENIT AG: German-headquartered PLM/CAD consulting and software firm with deep Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE and SAP expertise. Direct peer due to overlapping DACH Mittelstand customer base, similar systems integration DNA, and competing for the same PLM/ERP implementation budgets as Cideon.
• CONTACT Software: German PLM and IoT software vendor serving industrial manufacturers with product development, variant configuration, and digital twin offerings. Direct peer given shared DACH Mittelstand focus, similar Configure-to-Order capabilities, and overlapping CAD/ERP integration agenda.
• LeverX Group: SAP Gold Partner and the Prime Authorized Partner for Cideon's SAP PLM products in North America since 2019. Direct peer because LeverX delivers the same SAP PLM/ECTR implementation services as Cideon, but with global delivery centers that give it cost and reach advantages.
• AICOS Technologies (PRO.FILE): Vendor of the PRO.FILE PDM solution that Cideon resells and integrates. Counts as a direct peer because Cideon is a major implementation partner for PRO.FILE in Germany and the two compete jointly with other PDM platforms (Autodesk Vault, SAP PLM) for the same PDM seat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyqgK88-gFX62JBaJ42MX4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/CideonDeutschland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cideon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CIDEON Software & Services