Altium to relocate PCB CAD Division to the US

Australian-listed electronics design software company Altium has announced that it intends to relocate the management of its PCB CAD division and its core research and development team from Shanghai, China, to San Diego, USA. The relocation to the USA, where Altium has had a long-established sales and operational presence, represents a natural next step in the implementation of the company’s renewed growth strategy.

In 2011, Altium moved its research and development function from Australia to China on the basis of a technology pursuit that required access to world-class engineering talent and the desire to be close to technology partners that could assist Altium to realise its vision. The objectives behind that journey have been, for the most part, achieved. The company has also redefined its Internet of Things (IoT) strategy to be in alignment with its core business of the development of world-class PCB design tools.

China remains an important market of Altium, and is the best location for the company’s IOT division, including its associated development services and support teams. The Board believes that the management of Altium’s PCB CAD division will be better placed in markets where Altium derives most of its revenue and the US is the best location and offers the best opportunity for the execution of Altium’s product development strategy focused on ‘Closing the Capability Gaps’ with high-end PCB design tools. This strategy will support the expansion of Altium’s market reach into larger customers, while consolidating its position as a world leader in the provision of PCB design tools to the mainstream market.

The CEO and key executives in the Altium corporate office will also relocate from Shanghai to the US. In time, the US is expected to become Altium’s strongest operational centre as Altium succeeds in closing the capability gaps with providers of high-end design tools. The relocation of Altium’s PCB CAD division to the US in planned to occur, for the most part, in Q4 2014. This move is expected to be cost neutral