Missler Software

Company history

Site of CN Industries in Villeurbanne, France

Head office of Missler Software at Evry, near Paris

• 1977: Founding of Missler Mécanique by the Missler brothers in Evry and of CN Industries in Lyons by Paul May and Dominique Laffret, based on the Elan CAM software, developed in 1973 at the Centre d'Etude de la Commande Numérique (Digital Control and Command Research Center), Villeurbanne.
• 1981: Elan becomes GOelan, running interactively under HP Basic.
• 1983: Founding of Missler Informatique by Michel Goujon, followed by Jean Pierre Lugarini, to develop and market the GTL3 product.
• 1988: Release of Surf3D, a PC software for moldmakers with a high performance surface modeler.
• 1990: Release of GPS, the first production management product designed for subcontractors. Missler Informatique turnover exceeds €4.6 million. Release of GOelan, the first parametric CAM software.
• 1992: Alliance with the Toulouse-based company Topcad, supplier of TopSolid 3D CAD software, and the Grenoble-based company Catalpa, sheet metal specialist. The idea was to develop an integrated CAD/CAM product line for the entire mechanical engineering industry. From 1992 to 2000, the Missler Group grew very strongly, with a turnover of more than €15.2 million and a staff of 130.
• 1994: Integration of the Parasolid kernel modeler in TopSolid and ACIS in GOelan.
• 1997: Export takes off. First success in Japan. CN Industries founds its Italian subsidiary.
• 1999: Founding of CN Industrie GmbH in Germany.
• 2001: Merger of all company entities into Missler Software, managed by Michel Goujon and Christian Arber (founder of Topcad with Jean Luc Rolland).
• 2001: Missler Software integrates CN Industries and the GOelan product line. €22 million turnover for a total of 200 employees. International business now represents over 20% of group revenues.
• 2002: Release of a new GOelan product, combining performance and ease of use for increased productivity.
• 2002-2003: Seeking new international partners to distribute and support this new product.

A marriage of cultures – both necessary and profitable – between CAD, CAM and CAPM for mechanical engineers has enabled Missler Software to become a global player in the CAD/CAM market and the second largest French provider in this market.