Delcam - Birmingham Business with Designs on the World

Nike, Wedgwood, Lotus, De Beers, Mark Philippoussis and RonaldoÉ. just some of the international names who rely on the expertise of one of the West Midlands' most successful exporters.

Birmingham-based Delcam ranks among the top CAD design and manufacturing software companies in the world. More than 8,000 organisations in over 80 countries use its software and its client list reads like a Who's Who of leading international businesses. Nike chose Delcam software to design Brazilian footballer, Ronaldo's boots, and Dunlop to design Mark Phippoussis' tennis racket. Delcam is the only international CADCAM software company with its own in-house engineering workshop, allowing software to be exhaustively road tested prior to release and giving its staff a unique insight into the problems faced by users. Half of all software royalties are re-invested in product development, making Delcam one of the most innovative, leading edge CADCAM developers in the world.

Delcam was born in the West Midlands and has remained here throughout its expansion across the globe. Today, its headquarters are in Birmingham, with a further 125 sales and support offices in 75 countries worldwide. It is no accident that the business is based in the UK's manufacturing heartland, as International Marketing Director, Bartholomew Simpson explains:

"Delcam is the world's foremost supplier of CADCAM systems for the tooling industry and an innovative developer of advanced machining software. Our founders chose to locate the business at the hub of UK manufacturing, both to access the region's considerable expertise and to tap into a ready-made customer base. The West Midlands remains the ideal location for us. We are just a few miles from the airport and close to the motorway network so it's easy to travel to our network of customers across the UK and the world. We have no problem in attracting the cream of British graduates to come here, thanks to the variety of lifestyles on offer. There are city warehouse apartments for those who want an urban lifestyle, "trendy" student areas like Moseley and leafy suburbs like Solihull for families with children. Within a few miles, there is green, open countryside for those who aspire to rural living."

In 2003, Delcam deservedly won the Queen's Award for Enterprise, Innovation category, for its world class ArtCAM product. Jewellers, sign makers, packaging designers and confectioners are just some of the users of ArtCAM. The software was famously employed to create a unique item of jewellery, commissioned by the Queen's jewellers, De Beers, for the winner of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Mindful of the need to encourage a new generation of software designers, Delcam has forged close links with West Midlands' schools and universities. Thomas Telford School in Telford uses ArtCAM with 12-year olds to design 3D products and The University of Birmingham was presented with 30 turnkey hardware and software systems by Delcam, each worth £25,000. As well as providing a state of the art learning environment for computer design students, the facility is used by Delcam engineers from across the world.

Two hundred years ago, the West Midlands led the Industrial Revolution. Today, the region is at the forefront of a new revolution, as Delcam uses computers to improve everyone's lives, from the cars we drive to the shoes on our feet.

Bartholomew Simpson, International Marketing Director.

For more information about Delcam, visit www.delcam.com.