In the wake of the GstarCAD8 launch last month in Beijing, to which 3 of us western journalists were invited, I reflect on the chances of success of a Chinese CAD company in the US and world market.
Registration for the GstarCAD8 launch in Beijing.
GstarCAD8 was launched with sufficient fanfare. There were pretty girls, bright lights, a big stage. As more CAD companies are choosing to soft launch major releases from behind WebEx screens, this did make us sit up and take notice. One might read a lot into their willingness to fly 3 western industry journalists half way across the world to see the unveiling. We listed through translator headphones to company executives extolled the product’s technical prowess ( a full list of the quite impressive features is here) as well as a deliberate, long term campaign that over the years sought to establish Gstarsoft first as a regional CAD product, then as an international tool of choice.
GstarCAD has been a major player in China but now plans an international expansion.
Can they do it? We are only too well aware to what China has done to us with manufacturing. Can they do it with software? Guess what? Your software is probably already made in China – and India. I cannot think of a major CAD vendor that does not have a development team in China or India –or use Chinese or Indian labor on its home soil. A CAE vendor once told me that almost all of its developers were2 distinct groups, one from China, one from India. That was 20 years ago. The world has only got flatter since.
The Gstarsoft executive team launches GstarCAD8 in Beijing
Still, to see one Chinese company extol their CAD product is not enough to convinced that it will rule the CAD world. GstarCAD has only about 400 people. It is funded privately, not by the vast, concerted might of the country itself. Autodesk, and other CAD companies, can exhale.
There are signs, however, of a national directive for China to establish itself as a major player among software vendors. At the GstarCAD8 launch, Ky Xiang president of GstarCAD, tells us "China will be the software center of the world."
Clearly, China is no longer content to be bridesmaid. Pennies for factory, sweatshop and cubicle farm labor while it sees US stockholders pocket the big bucks--that has to hurt. God help our current CAD market leaders should China ever get its act together. Even our current heavyweight Autodesk would be knocked clear out of the ring if that happens.
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Roopinder Tara of TenLinks (left), Cyrena Respini-Irwin from Cadalyst, Jeff Rowe from MCADcafe, enjoy dim sum in Beijing, courtesy of our hosts, Gstarsoft.
Roopinder Tara, TenLinks editor, with a Red Guard in Beijing hotel.
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