Li Ning (China) Deploys PTC FlexPLM to Drive PLM Initiatives

Leading Chinese Sporting Goods Provider Adopts Advanced Technology to Optimize Product Development Process, Support Continuous Growth.

NEEDHAM, Mass - PTC (Nasdaq: PMTC), The Product Development Company®, today announced that Li Ning (China) Sports Goods Co. Ltd., a leading sporting goods provider, has become the first Chinese manufacturer to adopt PTC’s retail, footwear, and apparel solution, FlexPLM™. Li Ning (China) will standardize on FlexPLM as its collaborative product lifecycle management (PLM) system to help drive the success of its corporate expansion and globalization initiatives. FlexPLM is an intuitive, highly scalable and fully configurable Web-based solution based on PTC’s Windchill® technology that enables global product teams to work more efficiently and productively. Li Ning (China) will use FlexPLM for line planning, product data management and change management. With the out-of-the-box capabilities of FlexPLM, Li Ning (China) expects to significantly increase its product development efficiency and enhance the quality of products and materials through accurate specifications.

Li Ning (China) has a proud history of supporting Chinese athletics and has always worked closely with the Chinese Olympic Committee to advance the success of its country’s athletes through sponsorship of sporting events. The company views product development similar to a highly competitive, never-ending, competition and has committed itself to achieving the highest standards of excellence. Recognized for its innovation, in 1998 Li Ning (China) became China’s first domestic company to create a design and development center for apparel and footwear and is known as the leader in the Chinese sporting goods industry.

As a result of rapid growth, Li Ning (China) identified the need to replace its current manual processes for line planning, product design, specification development, material development, sample management, calendar management, and other operational systems which had become incapable of supporting the company’s dynamic product management needs. The company sought a technology solution that would help resolve its challenges of how to manage, collaborate on and share key product designs, materials utilization, production tracking, packaging, and production cost information across a distributed global environment.

Li Ning (China) chose FlexPLM because of its capabilities in seasonal planning, product line development, specification creation and sample management. By combining PTC’s solution with Li Ning’s (China) progressive management philosophy and industry experience, Li Ning (China) expects to optimize key product development processes, establish an integrated and accurate data management platform, improve product development efficiency and accuracy, and increase its ability to quickly and efficiently respond to market needs and popular trends.

“Historically, Li Ning (China) has used Microsoft® Excel® and Project to manage the product development process, however these technologies lack the essential capabilities necessary to achieve our business objectives,” said Guo Jianxin, chief operating officer, Li Ning (China) Sports Goods Co. Ltd. “With the selection of PTC's FlexPLM, we are establishing a complete system for product development that has the unique features we need to be competitive.”

“Li Ning (China)’s innovative approach to product design is reflected in its forward looking approach to technology adoption. We are very excited to be working with Li Ning (China) as the first Chinese based apparel and footwear company to adopt PTC enterprise PLM,” said Kathleen Mitford, vice president, product and market strategy, PTC. “We are looking forward to working closely with Li Ning (China) supporting Li Ning’s goal to ‘promote Chinese athletics and let sports make a difference in our lives.”