Increasing numbers of Intergraph Process & Building Solutions customers are leasing key software instead of purchasing it, as evidenced by recent lease activity in both new and established products. INtools, instrumentation engineering and Plant Design System (PDS) software leasing is proving increasingly cost-effective and popular among customers of Intergraph Systems SA. This is according to Pat Thomson of Intergraph Systems Southern Africa.

"Leasing options enable customers to take advantage of economies of scale coupled with superior support and maintenance; yet customers have the flexibility to adjust usage levels according to project workloads."

In the mid-1980s, Intergraph was the first company to offer software leases for the plant design market. In addition to INtools and PDS, Intergraph Process & Building Solutions offers lease options for plant design software including SmartPlant P&D, SmartPlant Review, SmartPlant Explorer, SmartSketch and others; and plant information and materials management software including Notia, Directa and MARIAN.

Thomson said: "Lease licences for INtools grew more than 124% and PDS lease licenses increased 10% globally during January to September, 2001, according to division records compiled in third quarter. The figures exclude lease licence activity associated with the division's Global Alliance Agreements with major customers.

"Achieving these historic highs and growth rates for lease activity demonstrates our customers' continued trust in our expertise and reliance on proven software that's absolutely crucial to their success," said Thomson. "The hike in INtools lease activity demonstrates the cost savings that plant owners are gaining through increased maintenance efficiency and reduced engineering hour requirements. Because INtools covers both engineering and operation tasks, it is quickly becoming the industry standard. Growth of PDS leases is due to improved software capabilities and increased penetration in the power generation, offshore petroleum and biopharmaceutical sectors."

Intergraph Systems Southern Africa

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