If you rely on BricsCAD for your daily design workflows, you may have noticed a new name emerging on the horizon: Octave. Hexagon has announced a strategic spin-off retiring the familiar “Bricsys” marketing brand and adopting the new naming convention Octave BricsCAD. While the logo is changing, the core engine—your trusted, cost-effective DWG platform—remains exactly where it needs to be.
Think of this as a trusted vehicle receiving an updated badge; the powerful engine under the bonnet is unchanged, but the manufacturer’s vision has expanded to secure a stronger future. Hexagon’s decision to spin off its Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division has created this opportunity for a more agile, independent enterprise.
For our local readers, BricsCAD UK support remains local, even though Octave itself is a global entity. The move is designed to unlock specific investment channels, allowing the development team to focus purely on enhancing the tools you use without broader conglomerate constraints.
The most visible change for UK users will be the adoption of the Octave identity across marketing materials and software interfaces. However, for those managing contracts and procurement, stability is the priority. The legal entity behind the software, Bricsys NV, remains the operational backbone during this transition. While the forward-facing brand evolves to signal a fresh chapter, the corporate structures handling your agreements stay consistent until the spin-off is fully finalised.
This rebranding does not alter the fundamental mechanics of your licensing or support. Your perpetual licences remain valid, your subscription terms continue as agreed, and your access to local UK support through partners like us are unaffected. By retiring the standalone Bricsys name, the platform is positioned as a key component of a much larger industrial software collective.
This transition creates a focused powerhouse rather than a simple rebrand. By separating from the wider hardware-focused group, the newly formed independent enterprise software company Octave gains the agility to invest heavily in its core digital tools. For UK businesses, this signals a move away from generalist oversight toward a specialised management structure that understands the nuances of industrial software, from initial drafting to long-term facility management.
At the heart of this strategy lies the Octave formation, a coalition of five specialised market leaders joining forces to cover every aspect of the industrial lifecycle:
ALI: Asset Lifecycle Intelligence (industrial data management)
SIG: Process Safety & Cybersecurity
ETQ: Quality Management Systems
Projectmates: Construction Project Management Software
Bricsys: The design and CAD engine powering the workflow
Hexagon’s spin-off details reveal a clear objective: to break down the barriers between different stages of a project. United by a singular mission of “unleashing intelligence at scale,” these entities combine their strengths to ensure data flows seamlessly from the drawing board to the building site and beyond.
Managing a project from concept to completion often involves juggling disconnected tools that don’t speak the same language. To solve this fragmentation, the Octave software provides a clear framework that organises the chaos of the AEC lifecycle. This structure ensures intelligence is preserved at every handover, placing the BricsCAD product roadmap under Octave firmly at the starting line of this journey.
By integrating the capabilities of the five combined companies, Octave covers the critical stages of industrial and construction workflows:
Design: Home to BricsCAD, focusing on precise 2D drafting, 3D modelling, and BIM creation.
Build: Streamlining construction management and capital project execution.
Operate: Optimising asset performance and maintenance efficiency through data-led insights.
Protect: Ensuring operational safety, quality compliance, and cybersecurity across the facility.
For most users, the ‘Design’ pillar is where daily work happens. While you may notice subtle updates to the BricsCAD visual identity, the software’s core function as the primary authoring tool remains unchanged. Instead of being an isolated drafting utility, BricsCAD acts as the essential foundation for the entire ecosystem—meaning the data you create today is better prepared to support subsequent lifecycle phases.
Navigating this change visually will be the most immediate adjustment for many users. While the branding surrounding the software is evolving, the underlying interface and command structure you rely on daily will remain familiar, ensuring your team’s productivity is never compromised.
Behind the scenes, the transition follows a structured corporate process designed to maintain stability. Until the potential spin-off is legally finalised, Bricsys remains a fully operational part of Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division. This interim period guarantees that all existing support channels, licensing servers, and development resources continue to function under the established infrastructure.
Long-term planning is essential in the AEC sector. The impact of Hexagon spin-off decisions does not extend to disrupting the software’s development trajectory. The product roadmap remains robust, with scheduled updates and feature enhancements proceeding exactly as planned. This continuity allows you to invest in future projects with confidence.
At NORI CAD, we understand that questions about software stability often arise when a global parent company restructures. However, for our UK customer base, the NORI CAD Octave transition support strategy is simple: business as usual. We remain your primary point of contact for all technical inquiries, installation guidance, and training needs just as we always have.
The move to Octave BricsCAD represents more than a new name; it secures the same familiar platform with deeper investment in the ‘Design’ pillar. You can now approach projects knowing your tools retain their trusted cost-efficiency while gaining the strength of an independent enterprise focused on intelligence at scale. The underlying stability of your workflow remains absolute.
Your focus can stay firmly on designing as we remain as your steadfast local partner, ensuring that while the software gains global momentum, your support stays personal.
