We're celebrating!
45 Years of SPI
We started developing software in 1980. That we’re still at it 45 years later is thanks to the customers and partners who have stayed with us along the way.
As a thank you, we’re marking the occasion with half a year of special offers.
Our Story
45 Years of Software Expertise
Founded in 1980 as a Hamburg-based IT firm for CAD solutions, SPI is today a provider of software and consulting for the sheet metal industry. The path here was less straightforward than it may sound in hindsight.
CAD for the Sheet Metal Industry
SheetMetalWorks for Solidworks and SheetMetal Inventor for Autodesk Inventor are our main products today. Their roots go far back: Our first sheet metal application, SPI 2D BLECH 9000, launched in 1987. A 3D version arrived in 1988 — initially for HP ME, later also for CATIA and AutoCAD. Solidworks was added in 1998, Inventor in 2001.
Design Meets Manufacturing
The best design counts for little if the machine can’t read it. Since our first TRUMPF interface in 2003, we’ve developed connections to the leading machine manufacturers: TRUMPF, Bystronic, LVD, Schröder, and WiCAM. Unfold data flows straight from the CAD system into production.
At Home in Ahrensburg
In 1982, SPI moved from Hamburg to nearby Ahrensburg. Eight years later, we settled into our own building on Kurt-Fischer-Straße, where we’ve been headquartered ever since. In 2008, co-founder Uwe Rouvel passed leadership to his daughter Jeanette Rouvel. A second-generation family business, with a northern German sense for the practical.
Our Gift to You
Offer of the Month
This offer applies to both new and existing customers. Orders must reach us by 31 July 2026. Maintenance covers all updates, technical support, and adaptation to new CAD versions.
One Year of Maintenance Free
with the purchase of SheetMetalWorks for Solidworks or SheetMetal Inventor for Autodesk Inventor.
SPI Worldwide
From Ahrensburg to the World
Northern German software with global reach: SPI is used in 22 countries.
Klietsch — Steel and Aluminum Construction Add-ins
Partner of the Month
Our apps for Solidworks and Autodesk Inventor extend the CAD platform with dedicated features for structural steel, plant, and mechanical engineering, creating seamless and efficient workflows from design through manufacturing. Our goal is to give engineers powerful tools that shorten development times, reduce errors, and sustainably boost productivity.
– Sebastian Klietsch, CEO, Klietsch GmbH
Klietsch and SPI have a lot in common: we both develop add-ins for Solidworks and Inventor: they cover steel and aluminum construction, we focus on sheet metal.
SolidSteel parametric, the DSTV Assistant, and other Klietsch products extend the same platforms our customers use day in and day out.
A recommendation for anyone whose design work reaches beyond sheet metal.
In Good Company
Turning 45 With Us
To Many More Years
Whether it’s a new license, a return to maintenance, or a question about our solutions — we’d love to hear from you!
