An athletic shoe manufacturer uses CADAM® a program for computer augmented design and manufacturing developed by CADAM, Inc. and licensed by IBM, to efficiently design footwear. CADAM is one example of the many products, programs and services integrated with IBM offerings to provide solutions to customers' specialized needs.

To help meet customers’ needs, IBM relies on more than 100,000 suppliers worldwide. From widely used components to specialized software products, their contributions become part of a comprehensive IBM solution for requirements in banking, retailing and other industries.

At the same time, IBM reaches more customers in more places in partnership with a worldwide network of companies that remarket its products. They include retail dealers in typewriters and personal computers; firms which tailor IBM products to perform specialized tasks by adding their own hardware or software or a combination of both; and even existing customers, who remarket IBM products to their own agents, dealers or affiliates.

IBM engineers and product support people visited more than 2,200 dealers last year to demonstrate the capabilities of the company’s new Personal Computer printers. Authorized dealers such as this one in Atlanta reach millions of potential customers for IBM products.