CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
15 March 2006
Implementation Investments
Spirent Communications Implements Agile 9.2
Agile Software Corporation announced that Spirent Communications has implemented Agile 9.2 PLM, for managing the enterprise product record throughout the product lifecycle. Spirent is a premier global provider of solutions for developing and deploying networks, with 1,700 employees distributed across 14 countries. A customer of Agile for over eight years, Spirent relies on Agile PLM to manage its product lifecycle across an extended worldwide enterprise comprised of distributed teams, partners and suppliers. Spirent has upgraded to Agile 9.2 to take advantage of the solution's enhanced overall functionality and expanded version of Agile Product Governance and Compliance.
Spirent Communications is a global provider of integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems that enable the development and deployment of next-generation networking technology, such as Internet telephony, broadband services, 3G wireless, global navigation satellite systems, and network security equipment. More than 1,500 customers in 30 countries, including the world's largest equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises and governments, use the company's solutions.
Critical to Spirent's success in the global communications market is its ability to rapidly innovate and bring products to market via an internationally distributed enterprise and highly outsourced model. Through its use of Agile PLM, Spirent has been able to optimize its collaboration and communication across the entire supply chain - from design to new product introduction to ramp to volume and end of life. The results are greatly reduced time to market and product-related costs, and increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Spirent Communications has been running Agile 9.2 in production since December 2005. The network solutions company, which had implemented Agile 9.0, participated in the Agile Customer Acceptance Testing (CAT) and Limited Availability (LA) programs in order to gain early access to the added functionality in version 9.2, including enhanced analysis and reporting.
"Agile has served as a valued partner in understanding our business needs and delivering the PLM software we need to effectively manage our product lifecycles across our global teams and extended supply chain," said Phil Walton, director of information services at Spirent Communications. "We were excited to participate in the Agile CAT program and become one of the first companies to access the new capabilities in Agile 9.2. We've already taken advantage of the solution's enhanced functionality, which is helping us to gain greater insight throughout the product lifecycle."
Agile Product Governance and Compliance to Facilitate Decision-Making
With the upgrade to Agile 9.2, Spirent Communications is also implementing the newest version of Agile Product Governance and Compliance (PG&C). Agile software will assist Spirent's efforts to ensure compliance with environmental regulation standards such as the Waste of Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) directive and the Restrictions of Hazardous Substance (ROHS) regulations, while working with its supply chain to deliver solutions to more than 30 countries. Even for Spirent products that are exempt from these regulations, the ability of Agile PG&C to aid in tracking and reporting on regulated substances will provide critical information for designing and manufacturing its products. By gaining visibility into components with banned or restricted substances that will cause obsolescence, Spirent can take a more strategic approach to product planning and production - for example, either buying components before scarcity drives up prices or converting to alternative components.
"The enactment of ROHS and WEEE are positive initiatives for protecting the environment. At the same time, they add a new level of complexity in managing the design, production and delivery of our network performance analysis and service assurance systems," said John Lane, Spirent Communications senior compliance manager. "Agile PG&C provides a comprehensive solution for identifying and rolling up compliance information, which will enable us to make strategic decisions about our products to ensure availability, manage costs, and provide the best value to our customers."
"A leading global provider of networking solutions, Spirent Communications is leading the trend among manufacturers to expand beyond tactical management of their products across the extended supply chain to leveraging PLM as a system for making strategic decisions with far-reaching business impact," said Jay Fulcher, Agile president and COO. "We are excited by the greater insight that Spirent is gaining through its upgrade to Agile 9.2, and we look forward to supporting its initiatives to drive innovation in order to maximize profitability and customer loyalty."
About Spirent Communications
Spirent Communications ( http://www.spirentcom.com ) is a global provider of integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems that enable the development and deployment of next-generation networking technology such as Internet Telephony, broadband services, 3G wireless, global navigation satellite systems, and network security equipment. More than 1,500 customers in 30 countries, including the world's largest equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises and governments, use spirent's solutions. Based in the U.K., Spirent Communications reported 2004 revenue of $460 million and has 1,700 employees worldwide.
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