Siemens PLM Software and Tata Consultancy Services Announce Next Generation Softlines, Hardlines and Footwear Out-of-the-Box Solution for "On-Trend, On-Time" Execution

Teamcenter Will Help Brand Owners Increase Speed and Reduce Cost
PLANO, Texas & MUMBAI, India--(Business Wire)--
Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation
Division and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM)
software and services, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading IT
services, business solutions and outsourcing organization, today launched a
comprehensive software offering for softlines, hardlines and footwear (SH&F)
manufacturers and retailers based on the unified PLM architecture of Teamcenter
software.

Teamcenter for SH&F, co-developed by Siemens PLM Software and TCS, delivers a
user-friendly solution that is ready to use "out-of-the-box" to help retailers
and manufacturers increase speed-to-market and reduce costs by streamlining
processes and workflow management; enhancing communication and collaboration;
and increasing visibility on a global scale.

This next generation product set is based on Teamcenter 8 (see separate
release), the latest release of Teamcenter, which focuses on individual,
application and IT productivity. With Teamcenter as a single source of product
and process knowledge, individuals and teams can be more productive
around-the-clock and from anywhere in the world.

TCS` retail industry domain knowledge and solution development experience
coupled with its system integration capabilities and channel relationships makes
it an instrumental partner in the development of this solution. TCS` Engineering
and Industrial Services business unit helps customers across the world focus on
developing and bringing innovative and efficient products to market faster.

"Dynamic trends, short lifecycles, and economic pressures require fast fashion
companies to pay close attention to their business processes and technology
infrastructure. Responding to trends through complex global supply chains
requires that today`s leaders possess software that enables secure, real-time
collaboration founded upon a single product data management infrastructure,"
said Will Duncan, VP of Industry Services at [TC]², an association that promotes
effective technology adoption in the global apparel and footwear industry.
"Siemens PLM Software and TCS understand the challenges faced by fast fashion
companies and have delivered a comprehensive solution that will help our members
ensure their new lines are on time to market and reflect current trends."

"Companies that produce hardlines, footwear, apparel and general softlines,
whether they are manufacturers with broadly-offered brands or retailers with
private brands, face the complex challenge of delivering the right styles to
market at just the right time, and doing that many times per year," said Dan
Staresinic, senior director, consumer products, retail and life sciences,
Siemens PLM Software. "This pervasive need for on-trend, on-time execution has
underpinned the planning and development of our new, out-of-the-box software
offering for these companies."

Collaborative Line Planning and Calendar Management

On-trend, on-time execution begins with efficient style development and line
planning and must be supported with a consistent approach to calendar
management. Teamcenter for SH&F addresses these needs through powerful ready to
use dashboards that are easily configurable by the user. Nested and master
calendars significantly increase the automation and accuracy of the calendar
management process. Slotted line plans give category merchandise leaders the
ability to drive a line to achieve specific, global objectives across any number
of sub-lines. Users will experience an intuitive interface that has been
designed by industry experts and greater productivity through fewer mouse clicks
to complete tasks. Furthermore, the Teamcenter for SH&F dashboard provides line
owners with continuous visibility to their line metrics throughout the planning
process.

Integrated Specification Development

Time and resources are wasted when product specifications are developed across
disparate systems. A single source of product and process knowledge enables
Teamcenter users to execute the specification development process in less time
and with fewer errors. Robust capabilities for artwork and pitchsheet/pattern
development, color, fabric and trim management, lab dip tracking and sample
management, costing/bill of materials management, reporting and forecasting, and
2D/3D markup all contribute to a more productive and effective specification
development process.

Sourcing and Global Collaboration

SH&F companies are typified by complex, global supply chains, including many
sources of materials and contract production. Siemens PLM Software`s new
offering provides integrated supplier relationship management including highly
automated RFx generation and evaluation. The ability to take specifications
digitally from the platform and securely, rapidly and accurately distribute them
to the global vendor community, enables improved due date performance and
reduced vendor-related costs.

Microsoft Integration

Most SH&F companies utilize desktop software to execute various design and
planning activities. These companies will be able to use the familiar Microsoft
Outlook, Word and Excel applications as "live" user interfaces to the Teamcenter
platform that will hold all of their styles, line plans, calendars and
specifications. With the release of Teamcenter 8, a Teamcenter "ribbon" is added
to the Microsoft Office toolbar, making it easy to interact with product
information and workflows directly from within Word, Excel, Outlook and
PowerPoint.

"Siemens PLM Software continues to expand and enhance its list of robust
industry specific solutions that create real value through out-of-the-box
functionality," said Paul Vogel, executive vice president, Global Sales and
Services, Siemens PLM Software. "Teamcenter for SH&F was developed in close
partnership with TCS to support the specific needs of our customers in this
industry, while also providing the scalability, low cost of ownership, and
overall IT performance that are intrinsic to the Teamcenter platform."

In a strategic alliance for more than two decades, TCS has partnered at various
levels with Siemens PLM Software to offer best-in-class consulting and
implementation services to its customers. TCS` well established PLM competencies
drive global PLM transformation programs within industries and geographies
effectively.

"TCS understands the challenges faced by the fashion and apparel industry and
provides technology solutions that help them enhance customer responsiveness and
introduce new products faster. Teamcenter for SH&F provides the integrated
solution to the industry to address the challenges," said Pratik Pal, Global
Head of Retail and Distribution, TCS.

"We continue to create value for our customers through fully integrated industry
solutions that help manufacturers remain competitive and achieve operational
excellence," said Regu Ayyaswamy, vice president, Engineering and Industrial
Services, TCS. "Teamcenter for SH&F is a pioneering solution that caters to the
needs of the growing global retail, apparel and soft goods market. It
encapsulates predefined templates and processes of retail industry thus making
it easy to deploy and reliable to use."

About Siemens PLM Software

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation
Division, is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM)
software and services with nearly six million licensed seats and 56,000
customers worldwide. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Siemens PLM Software works
collaboratively with companies to deliver open solutions that help them turn
more ideas into successful products. For more information on Siemens PLM
Software products and services, visit www.siemens.com/plm.

About the Siemens Industry Automation Division

The Siemens Industry Automation Division (Nuremberg, Germany) is a worldwide
leader in the fields of automation systems, low-voltage switchgear and
industrial software. Its portfolio ranges from standard products for the
manufacturing and process industries to solutions for whole industrial sectors
that encompass the automation of entire automobile production facilities and
chemical plants. As a leading software supplier, Industry Automation optimizes
the entire value added chain of manufacturers - from product design and
development to production, sales and a wide range of maintenance services. With
around 42,900 employees worldwide Siemens Industry Automation achieved in fiscal
year 2008 total sales of EUR8.7 billion.

Note: Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG.
Teamcenter is a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle
Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other
countries. Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks, registered
trademarks or service marks belong to their respective holders.

Siemens PLM Software
Salim Rahimi, 972-987-3206
salim.rahimi@siemens.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009