Lanner Group Ltd
Encyclopedia
Lanner Group Ltd is a discrete event simulation
software company headquartered in Redditch
, Worcestershire
. The business develops, markets and supports business process simulation and optimization systems. The company has subsidiaries in the USA, China
, France
and Germany
and a distributor network selling the company's products in 20 different countries. Lanner Group was formed following a Management Buyout
of AT&T Istel, a spin off from the operational research department of British Leyland where, in 1978, the world's first visual interactive simulation tool was developed. Lanner Group services automotive, aviation, criminal justice, defense and aerospace, financial services and contact centers, food and beverage, health, logistics and supply chain, manufacturing, nuclear, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and consumer health industries.
, was initially called BL Systems, and was a spin out
formed in 1979 following a Merger of all the computer departments under the then British Leyland umbrella. BL System's SEE WHY tool, programmed in Fortran 77 and launched in 1980, was the world's first commercially available visual interactive simulation package and the precursor to Lanner Group's current core software product WITNESS. WITNESS was the first of the industrial strength 4GL simulators. The WITNESS system was launched on IBM PC
in 1986 and has been revised frequently since. The latest version of Lanner's Witness Power with Ease 3.0 was released in November 2010.
The applications of the FORTRAN 77 / WITNESS interface have been subject to further academic Research and Development
. Since 1985 the company has supported its simulation software academic program. Over 100 universities worldwide have been involved since the program began.
Lanner Group continued to develop the WITNESS platform further in parallel to developing its mainstay product of the same name, and since 2002 has introduced new systems providing niche simulation packages for police and healthcare organizations called PRISM and PX-Sim respectively. In 2006 the company unveiled a Java
based simulation engine called L-SIM which is embedded in Business Process Management
(BPM) solutions software. In May the same year, a technology partnership with BPM solution provider IDS Scheer
was announced. The L-SIM product is now the simulation engine of IDS Scheer's ARIS
Business Simulator. The company's WITNESS platform technology is therefore embedded into current Oracle
, SAP
, and IBM
BPA
products.
From 1996 to 2010 the company's main investor was private equity company 3i
. On 18 March 2010 Lanner Group announced that it had secured a £3 million new investment deal with NVM Private Equity replacing 3i
. 3i continues to retain an interest in Lanner Group as a small minority investor.
Discrete Event Simulation
In discrete-event simulation, the operation of a system is represented as a chronological sequence of events. Each event occurs at an instant in time and marks a change of state in the system...
software company headquartered in Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
. The business develops, markets and supports business process simulation and optimization systems. The company has subsidiaries in the USA, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and a distributor network selling the company's products in 20 different countries. Lanner Group was formed following a Management Buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
of AT&T Istel, a spin off from the operational research department of British Leyland where, in 1978, the world's first visual interactive simulation tool was developed. Lanner Group services automotive, aviation, criminal justice, defense and aerospace, financial services and contact centers, food and beverage, health, logistics and supply chain, manufacturing, nuclear, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and consumer health industries.
Company History
Lanner Group formed in 1996 after completing a Management Buyout from AT&T Istel; the company was initially named SEE WHY SOLUTIONS and was incorporated in 1995. Lanner Group's previous owner, AT&T Istel, formerly known as ISTELISTEL
ISTEL, formerly BL Systems, and latterly AT&T Istel, was a British information technology company.-History:The company was formed in 1979 as BL Systems Limited through a merger of the computer departments of various automotive manufacturing companies brought together under the British Leyland ...
, was initially called BL Systems, and was a spin out
Spin out
A spin-out, also known as a spin-off or a starburst, refers to a type of corporate action where a company "splits off" sections of itself as a separate business....
formed in 1979 following a Merger of all the computer departments under the then British Leyland umbrella. BL System's SEE WHY tool, programmed in Fortran 77 and launched in 1980, was the world's first commercially available visual interactive simulation package and the precursor to Lanner Group's current core software product WITNESS. WITNESS was the first of the industrial strength 4GL simulators. The WITNESS system was launched on IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
in 1986 and has been revised frequently since. The latest version of Lanner's Witness Power with Ease 3.0 was released in November 2010.
The applications of the FORTRAN 77 / WITNESS interface have been subject to further academic Research and Development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
. Since 1985 the company has supported its simulation software academic program. Over 100 universities worldwide have been involved since the program began.
Lanner Group continued to develop the WITNESS platform further in parallel to developing its mainstay product of the same name, and since 2002 has introduced new systems providing niche simulation packages for police and healthcare organizations called PRISM and PX-Sim respectively. In 2006 the company unveiled a Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
based simulation engine called L-SIM which is embedded in Business Process Management
Business process management
Business process management is a holistic management approach focused on aligning all aspects of an organization with the wants and needs of clients. It promotes business effectiveness and efficiency while striving for innovation, flexibility, and integration with technology. BPM attempts to...
(BPM) solutions software. In May the same year, a technology partnership with BPM solution provider IDS Scheer
IDS Scheer
IDS Scheer develops, markets, and supports Business Process Management software and is widely regarded as the founder of the BPM industry. The company was established in 1984 by current supervisory board chairman and Chief Technology Advisor, August-Wilhelm Scheer as a spin-off from the Institute...
was announced. The L-SIM product is now the simulation engine of IDS Scheer's ARIS
ARIS
ARIS may refer to:*Advanced Research Instrumentation Ship *American Religious Identification Survey*Anti-Racism Information Service*Architecture of Integrated Information Systems...
Business Simulator. The company's WITNESS platform technology is therefore embedded into current Oracle
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
, SAP
SAP AG
SAP AG is a German software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations. Headquartered in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, with regional offices around the world, SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software...
, and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
BPA
Business Analysis
Business analysis is the discipline of identifying business needs and determining solutions to business problems. Solutions often include a systems development component, but may also consist of process improvement, organizational change or strategic planning and policy development...
products.
From 1996 to 2010 the company's main investor was private equity company 3i
3i
3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
. On 18 March 2010 Lanner Group announced that it had secured a £3 million new investment deal with NVM Private Equity replacing 3i
3i
3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
. 3i continues to retain an interest in Lanner Group as a small minority investor.