My gut feel based on the industrial corporations I've worked with is that the big Y2K capital project push was LAST YEAR, and that this year is the big Y2K "band-aid" year, when it's too late to undertake major new projects solely for Y2K, but loads of small fixes are still being undertaken. So you may be right about Y2K soaking up funds which would otherwise go to DSTM projects.
But I think that the Y2K bulge obscures a key issue, that loads of major industrial users are still doing maintenance the old-fashioned way, with some sort of automatic work order system but completely manual otherwise. So DSTM benefits from the continuing need for CMMS. Even though maintenance has not automated as quickly as other functions (production, financial, etc.), there is no denying that there is a need. Automating maintenance allows for leaner operation (less people) and tremendous cost savings.
I believe that a best-of-breed solution like DSTM's is not going to be knocked out of the CMMS space by the general-purpose ERP suppliers in the next 3-4 years. Beyond that, look for CMMS to be less of a stand-alone function, but for now it has long legs to run on.
Just my opinion, of course.
I noticed that DSTM (see their web site) is moving toward calling their software an "asset management" solution and away from the traditional CMMS moniker. Obviously they are trying to change with the times, to co-exist with the ERP players.
Lots of other companies are working on asset management systems from other angles. Fisher-Rosemount (part of Emerson), for example, has an asset mgt sys which is primarily organized around process instrumentation and control systems.
I find it much easier to grasp DSTM as a CMMS company than the less-defined asset management system concept. But if that's the marketing buzzword du jour, OK. |
