# 30 Years of SOLIDWORKS

Celebrate 30 years of customer success, growth, and technology that continues to transform product design.

![Split screen showing SOLIDWORKS user interface from 1995 and from today](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/webp/public/2025-09/solidworks-30-years-hero-banner-1.jpg.webp)

## 30 Years of Product Development Excellence

**Since November 1995, SOLIDWORKS® has been committed to making design and product development easy, accessible, intuitive, and fun**. With an original mission to democratize design and put 3D CAD on every engineer’s desk, SOLIDWORKS continues to innovate the product development experience with industry-leading software.

Over the past three decades, millions of users around the world have used SOLIDWORKS to create and grow, both as individual designers and as businesses. SOLIDWORKS has been continually inspired by the creativity and innovation of our users, and we are grateful to have such an engaged, dedicated, and talented community to celebrate with us. What will the next 30 years hold? We can’t wait to find out.

## How CAD Changed the World

How has CAD transformed the world and the job of an engineer? Find out in this infographic.

![Graphic showing a drafting table and a computer from the 1980s](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/webp/public/2025-09/Infographic_1920x800_banner.jpg.webp)

- [Explore infographic](/product/30-years/how-cad-changed-world-infographic)

## 30 Years of Customer Success

For three decades, SOLIDWORKS has helped millions of users around the world succeed. From startups to industry leaders, SOLIDWORKS has been the engineer’s choice for product development. Discover how international companies grew with SOLIDWORKS and continue to thrive.

### Vermeer Corporation

[![Agricultural vehicles driving in field](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/bg_large/public/2025-10/vermeer-story-for-30-years-solidworks-new.jpg.webp)](https://youtu.be/8oT2wIkL0d4?si=7o8oSFCjAaHJMlVV)

Since 1948, Vermeer Corporation has been a leading manufacturer of industrial and agricultural equipment. When the company decided to move from 2D to 3D design in 1999, they chose SOLIDWORKS. Vermeer was the first SOLIDWORKS customer with over 100 seats of software, and today they use the SOLIDWORKS portfolio of solutions for all of their mechanical CAD needs.

> “We would not be the company we are today without SOLIDWORKS.”

Greg Johnson, a longtime SOLIDWORKS user

System Analyst Manager | Vermeer

- [Learn more](/customer-story/vermeer-redefines-innovation-heavy-machinery)

### Industrilås

[![3D rendering showing exploded view of machine part](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/bg_large/public/2025-10/Industrilas-SOLIDWORKS-Customer-Story-Thumb-new.jpg.webp)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXbeyN-1-Sk)

Since their founding in 1981, Industrilås has revolutionized its various markets several times. When the company chose SOLIDWORKS as its partner in CAD, it also chose the tools that would revolutionize the way it designed products.

> “The way the journey has been so far tells me we will only be more closely integrated with SOLIDWORKS in the future,” (...) “We knew from the beginning it felt good \[with SOLIDWORKS\], so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we stand here together after thirty years…it was the right decision to go with SOLIDWORKS on this journey.”

Fredrik Mölzer

Owner and CEO | Industrilås Group

- [Learn more](/customer-story/industrilas-innovates-its-way-garage-global-leader)

### Trident Hydraulics

[![People discussing 3D CAD design](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/bg_large/public/2025-10/Innovating-Hydraulic-Systems-Trident%20Hydraulics-SOLIDWORKS-Thumb-new.jpg.webp)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y61V6gcqbC8)

From its start twenty years ago, Trident embraced SOLIDWORKS, and today has become a leader in bespoke hydraulic system design and system integration. Since adopting SOLIDWORKS, the company has expanded its product line from building standard hydraulic power packs to delivering cutting-edge servo control systems.

> “I used one of the first seats of SOLIDWORKS in the UK in 1999.”

Mike Forster

Owner and CEO | Trident Hydraulics LTD.

- [Learn more](/customer-story/trident-builds-smarter-hydraulic-solutions)

### Asia-Pacific

[![SOLIDWORKS customers celebrating](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/bg_large/public/2025-10/solidworks-customers-APSouth-video-cover-new.jpg.webp)](https://youtu.be/E-Eal9hzcYo?si=HuvY7ywaQLeL2LmU)

Companies across Asia-Pacific have found success with SOLIDWORKS. From Lintech & Linhoff in Singapore to Kewpump in Malaysia, from Western Digital in Thailand to Tieman Tankers in Australia, companies in different industries with different challenges have used SOLIDWORKS to grow and innovate.

> “You always have peace of mind because \[SOLIDWORKS\] looks after you with the latest technology, and you can design the best-ever products on the market.”

Eiman Nosrati

Engineering Manager | Tieman Tankers

## The History of SOLIDWORKS

Relive 30 years of SOLIDWORKS and see the highlights from the past three decades with our interactive timeline.

![Design showing 3D cubes celebrating the 30th anniversary of SOLIDWORKS](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/webp/public/2025-09/solidworks-30-years-timeline-banner.jpg.webp)

- [Discover the timeline](/product/30-years/timeline)

## 30 Years of User-Driven Innovation

### The Ultimate SOLIDWORKS Top 10 List

Three decades of enhancements with over eight million users giving feedback—SOLIDWORKS design software has seen a lot of changes through the years. Read this eBook to learn which features and enhancements SOLIDWORKS R&D members and user champions believe have defined the CAD software over the past 30 years.

- [Read the eBook](/media/ultimate-solidworks-top-10-list)

### What’s New in SOLIDWORKS

Forget annual releases. Today, SOLIDWORKS is updated every eight weeks, keeping with its long tradition of customer-requested enhancements spread throughout the year. See the latest enhancements and keep up-to-date with the industry leader in mechanical CAD.

- [Check out what’s new](/product/whats-new)

## 1995 Rewind: Seek and Find

How much has the workplace changed since SOLIDWORKS was first released? See if you can find all the changes in our interactive office!

![Illustration showing computer from 1995 with SOLIDWORKS user interface](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/webp/public/2025-09/solidworks-1995-rewind-banner.jpg.webp)

- [Go back in time](/product/30-years/rewind-1995)

## Users React to SOLIDWORKS 95

Engineers and designers in 2025 tried out SOLIDWORKS 95 and had one heck of a time. Watch the videos and learn about the history of SOLIDWORKS, discover the modern users’ experience with retro CAD software, and much more.

## Celebrate 30 Years of SOLIDWORKS with Us

You’ve seen how SOLIDWORKS started, now see where it is today. Check out what’s new with SOLIDWORKS product development software.

![SOLIDWORKS realistic 3D rendering of Vermeer industrial vehicle driving into the sunset](/sites/default/filesd10/styles/webp/public/2025-08/solidworks-whats-new-2026-footer-2.jpg.webp)

- [Discover what's new](/product/whats-new)

- [Free trial](https://my.solidworks.com/try-solidworks)