Siemens to acquire Supplyframe for EDA supply chain, broader digital marketplace

I just noticed that Siemens today announced that it will acquire Supplyframe for $700 million, in a deal that is expected to close sometime before the end of September 2021. I am not familiar with Supplyframe so have asked for more information but here’s what the announcement said:

• Siemens accelerates digital marketplace strategy with acquisition of Supplyframe
• Siemens to acquire Supplyframe, a leading and fast-growing marketplace for the global electronics value chain
• Combining Supplyframe’s knowhow with Siemens’ leading software enables customers to innovate and develop products faster
• Supplyframe to be the nucleus of Siemens’ digital marketplace strategy

I didn’t know Siemens has a digital marketplace strategy — but it makes sense to tie sourcing more directly to design requirements. If you can’t buy the component at a price point that makes sense for the overall value proposition of the product, what’s the point? And we’ve how strategic sourcing is or should be, given the ripple effect of a ship stuck in the Suez Canal and the complications caused by borders that closed due to COVID or Brexit or or or …

Siemens says that this combination will “help customers to reduce costs, increase agility and make highly informed decisions. The acquisition also strengthens the Siemens portfolio through Software as a Service (SaaS) – not only in the field of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and Printed Circuit Boards (PCB), but also scaling into other domains and technology fields”. Further down in the release, it says that Supplyrame’s CEO will join Siemens and become part of the Siemens Digital Industries Software leadership team — meaning, Supplyframe will become a Siemens Digital Industries Software business.

So much to unpack here — I’ll write again if I learn more.