Case study

Global medical device manufacturer unifies multiple PLM systems on a single Windchill environment

How a Minnesota-based medical device company, selling in more than 100 countries with a workforce of around 18,000, partnered with ArcherGrey to consolidate multiple PLM systems into one scalable Windchill environment, giving the business the flexibility to absorb acquisitions, divestitures, and evolving regulatory demands.

Medical DevicePLM Transformation
IndustryMedical Device
Solutions

PLM Transformation
Background

Minnesota-based medical device company specializing in cardiac rhythm management, implantable defibrillators, neuromodulation devices, and other cardiovascular technologies. Operates globally, with products sold in more than 100 countries and a workforce of around 18,000. Client name withheld at their request.

The inflection point

Turning a fragmented PLM landscape into a foundation for change.

Following a series of acquisitions and evolving demands from diverse business units, the organization found itself operating multiple PLM systems, each with its own workflows, data structures, and governance model. Each system served the unit that owned it, but together the fragmentation created barriers to agility, scalability, and compliance.

Leadership recognized the need for a unified, future-ready PLM foundation: one that could support future transformation, including potential divestitures, new acquisitions, and an evolving regulatory landscape, rather than reacting to each change as it arrived.

Our approach

One Windchill backbone, built for the next acquisition or divestiture.

ArcherGrey partnered with the company to unify its PLM landscape into a single, scalable Windchill environment that serves as the digital backbone for product development and compliance. A unified data structure supports cross-functional collaboration and lifecycle visibility across business units.

Audit readiness was a core requirement. Documentation management was fully implemented to meet stringent regulatory requirements, and a scalable access control model with clearly defined workflow roles was established to support future organizational growth. The change management process was reorchestrated to align with enterprise-wide governance and innovation goals.

What we owned:

  • Design of a unified data structure supporting cross-functional collaboration and lifecycle visibility
  • Deployment of a single Windchill instance as the digital backbone for product development and compliance
  • Full implementation of audit-ready documentation management for stringent regulatory requirements
  • A scalable access control model and clearly defined workflow roles, built for future organizational growth
  • Reorchestration of the change management process to align with enterprise-wide governance and innovation goals

Business outcomes

Enterprise agility, consistent governance, and a single source of truth.

Unifying multiple PLM systems into a single, scalable Windchill environment positioned the organization to adapt quickly to future organizational change, including acquisitions, divestitures, and evolving regulatory demands. The shift enabled greater business flexibility, stronger governance, and digital continuity, making transformation sustainable and strategic rather than reactive.

What changed:

  • Enterprise agility. A single PLM environment now supports seamless integration of new business units and divestitures, enabling faster strategic pivots.
  • Governance and compliance. Standardized, audit-ready documentation processes ensure consistent regulatory readiness across all product lines.
  • Data confidence. Centralized BOM and document management created a single source of truth, reducing risk and enabling confident decision-making.
  • Scalability. The new data model and workflows were designed to scale with the business, supporting future innovation and digital thread initiatives.

The client’s name has been withheld at their request. To discuss this engagement in more detail, contact us.

Related resources

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