Accenture has announced its intention to acquire PCO Innovation, a consulting and systems integration group specializing in PLM software.

PCO Innovation offers PLM strategy and process consultancy, application architecture, system implementation, data migration and application management. It specializes in PLM platforms including Dssault Systèmes, PTC and Siemens PLM.

Today’s announcement follows Accenture’s acquired of PRION Group earlier this year.

So why is Accenture focusing on PLM and developing PLM “business services”, a term Accenture is using to describe offerings that span management consulting, technology and operate services. There is a well-established market for services that leverage PLM, with the proposition including enabling faster time to market for product launches and reducing operational and product development costs. And Accenture is not interested in being a late entrant. The answer is possibly around its overall investments in what Accenture calls “digital”. Over the last four years, Accenture has made a series of acquisitions around digital marketing to build Accenture Interactive, aiming for this to be a $1bn business within a few years. PRION and now PCO Innovation indicate a newer interest in manufacturing operations and the new business opportunities to be derived from “the internet of things”. Another recent initiative is a JV with GE called Taleris focused on the aerospace sector with a predictive maintenance offering using analytics from sensors on aircrafts. Expect to see more emphasis by Accenture on its capabilities around digital transformation in manufacturing sectors.

NelsonHall has just published an updated comprehensive (97 page) Key Vendor Assessment on Accenture, available to subscribers of the KVA program.