MapInfo

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MapInfo
Type Public
Founded 1986
Headquarters North Greenbush, New York, USA
Key people Mike Hickey, President
Industry Software
Geographic Information Systems
Products MapInfo Professional
Envinsa
MapXtreme Java
MapXtreme 2005
Revenue $165.5 million USD (2005)
Employees 900 [1] (2005)
Parent Pitney Bowes
Website www.mapinfo.com
MapInfo is also the common name of the company's main product.

Coordinates: 42°40′58.5″N 73°42′10.5″W / 42.682917, -73.702917 Pitney Bowes MapInfo Corporation is a Location Intelligence / GIS company, headquartered in North Greenbush, New York, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pitney Bowes.

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[edit] Company history

MapInfo was founded in 1986 by Laszlo Bardos, Andrew Dressel, John Haller, Mike Marvin, and Sean O’Sullivan.[1][2] The company originated as a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) incubator project.[3] The original name was Navigational Technologies Incorporated (NTI), and the first intended product was for in-car navigation.[4]

MapInfo appeared at number 23 in Inc. Magazine's Inc. 500 in 1992.[5]

MapInfo held an initial public offering (IPO) in 1994.[6]

On March 15, 2007 Pitney Bowes entered into a merger agreement to acquire MapInfo Corporation for approximately $408 million in cash. Following the acquisition, MapInfo has changed its name to Pitney Bowes MapInfo Corporation.[7][8]

On December 18, 2007 Pitney Bowes also acquired Encom Technology whose products include Encom Discover and Encom Engage which are the major plugins for MapInfo Professional. [9]

[edit] Product history

MapInfo developed the first desktop GIS in 1986[citation needed]. Originally, the intention was to create an easy-to-use software package that did not require exceedingly large amounts of computing power.

MapInfo provided the first tools to Microsoft that allowed them to include mapping functionality in their products, specifically the mapping add-on branded as Microsoft Map for Microsoft Excel as part of MS Office 95. The add-on was subsequently included in Microsoft Office 97, and Microsoft Office 2000. This provided the inspiration for the Microsoft MapPoint program, which became a separate product from Microsoft, and since that Microsoft Map was dropped.

MapInfo collaborated with Oracle Corporation to develop the original spatial cartridge for the Oracle 8i database.

[edit] Acquisition history

  • 2007: Encom Technology, a supplier of specialist software, data and services to the global mineral exploration and petroleum industries.[10]
  • 2007: Graphical Data Capture, a developer of applications and offerer of consulting services primarily to local and regional UK govt authorities, in addition to utilities, financial services and insurance cos.[11]
  • 2005: MarkeTech Systems, Inc., a Raleigh, North Carolina-based provider of software, data and services for use by retail banks to enhance branch network sales and profitability.[12]
  • 2003: Thomopson Associates, one of the top providers of retail site selection consulting.[13]
  • 2000: Compusearch Inc., the leading provider of micro-marketing segmentation and market analysis solutions in Canada.[14]

[edit] Current products and services

MapInfo provides location intelligence solutions through combining software, data (both spatial and non spatial) and consultancy with project management, systems design and development, training and support. MapInfo produces a wide range of software including Spatial Cartridges for databases (SpatialWare), Routing (Routing J Server), Geocoding (MapMarker), Site Analysis (AnySite), Risk Analysis, Market Analysis, Demographic Analysis (TargetPro), and the Envinsa web services suite along with the more traditional Geographic Information System (GIS) software. MapInfo's GIS software products include the desktop GIS software, MapInfo Professional, MapXtreme 2005 and MapXtreme Java for web-based and desktop client mapping, as well as developer tools such as MapBasic. The latest version of MapInfo Professional is v9.0, which was released in June 2007 and now comes as standard in SCP Software Copy Protection.

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[edit] References

[edit] External links