SYDNEY -- Altium is returning to the US, announcing the pending relocation of the management of its PCB CAD division and its core R&D team from Shanghai, to San Diego.

"The Altium board believes that the management of Altium’s PCB CAD division will be better placed in markets where Altium derives most of its revenue and the US is the best location and offers the best opportunity for the execution of Altium’s product development strategy," Altium said.

The move, which includes CEO and key executives in the Altium corporate office, is planned to occur in the fourth quarter and is expected to be cost-neutral.

Altium is pursuing an aggressive attempt to develop high-end PCB design tools which would permit the company to better compete with its larger foes such as Cadence, Mentor Graphics and Zuken.

The strategy will support Altium's attempt to gain market share with larger customers. Over time, the US is expected to become Altium’s strongest operational center. T

The relocation to the US, where Altium has had a long-established sales and operational presence, represents a natural next-step in the implementation of Altium’s renewed growth strategy.

The move reverses Altium's 2011 relocation of its R&D function from Australia to China. At the time, Altium said sought China's "world-class engineering talent and the desire to be close to technology partners." 

"The objectives behind that journey have been, for the most part, achieved. The company has also redefined its Internet of Things strategy to be in alignment with its core business of the development of world-class PCB (printed circuit board) design tools. China remains an important market for Altium, and is the best location for the company’s IOT division, including its associated development services and support teams," Altium said in a press release.

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