In 1993, Axel Biewer and Michael Wille founded Plan Software GmbH in the heart of Saarbrücken. As a spin-off of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the company has been committed to cutting-edge, software-driven solutions from the very beginning. Their vision? To develop electronic catalogs and product configurators specifically for industrial applications. Following numerous successful projects with national and international customers, much has changed — but the entrepreneurial spirit remains the same: Plan Software continues to embrace new technologies while relying on a highly skilled and dedicated team to drive innovation forward.
"Quick success was never our thing. Right from the start, we weren't interested in selling software as quickly as possible: instead of 'hit and run', we focused on continuity and quality in order to build long-term, trusting relationships — both internally and externally."
What began with configuration solutions for pipe supports and engineering calculation and sizing applications has, over more than 30 years of market presence, evolved into a hallmark of software quality “Made in Germany.” Configuration, Configure-Price-Quote (CPQ), engineering design automation, and e-commerce form the cornerstones of the company’s success. Combined with deep integration expertise, a strong spirit of innovation, and outstanding consulting capabilities, Plan Software has established itself as a trusted long-term partner, supporting customers throughout their digital transformation journeys.
In 2005, witheasyKAT®, the company introduced its first turnkey product configuration application. Master data can be set up and maintained independently within the system to generate product specifications, quotes, and sales bills of materials based on that data. Plan Software continued to build on this strong foundation in the years that followed: With 3PQ and a digital data bridge to SAP, the company refines and expands its product portfolio and comprehensively digitizes sales processes.
The unexpected often happens! Even in the collaboration between Plan Software andKiM. Although the companies are based just a few kilometers apart, the two software service providers got to know and appreciate each other in Augsburg in 1999. The chemistry was right, both personally and professionally. While Plan Software focuses on software development, KiM — initially still an engineering office — focuses on construction and 3D modeling. Today, the focus of the companies has changed, but as 4PACE the synergy effects are stronger than ever.
At the beginning of the 2000s, the industrial giant SIEMENS also became aware of Plan Software. The trigger? A configuration project in the field of 2D dimensional drawings. In cooperation with KiM this is finally extended by a three-dimensional component in the SIEMENS CAD generator and proves to be a door opener for other business areas. In 2018, Plan Software enters into an official partnership in the area of MindSphere, the open IoT operating system from SIEMENS, and develops customized IoT applications based on it.
Starting in 2018, the merger with N4 has provided more drive—literally. In other core industries, primarily in the automotive aftermarket, the Saarland-based software service provider is not only expanding its portfolio into B2B e-commerce and agile, customized software development. The merger also brings positive synergies in terms of personnel. Interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and investments in research—for example, in the field of AI—are leading to diversification and industry expansion.
Would you like to make your sales cycles more efficient and optimize them digitally? Contact us today and we’ll work together to accelerate your B2B sales.
You’ve come to the right place! KiM and Plan Software have joined together to create the umbrella company 4PACE GmbH, elevating our long-standing collaboration to a new level. As a union, we utilize our synergies to bundle our extensive market experience and offer our customers even more efficient solutions.
