DigitalGlobe, provider of the world’s highest resolution commercial satellite imagery and geospatial information products, today announced the acquisition of GlobeXplorer, a leading geographic data integration and publishing company, from Stewart REI Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Stewart Information Services Corp.
The combination of DigitalGlobe and GlobeXplorer creates the industry’s most complete, most current provider of high resolution digital Earth imagery and products. Together, DigitalGlobe’s industry-leading archive and high-resolution, high-capacity satellite and GlobeXplorer’s effective Web-based search and delivery applications create the commercial remote sensing (CRS) industry’s most extensive, complete and easy-to-use solution for acquiring, integrating and distributing all types of high-quality digital Earth imagery and data.
“We see the CRS industry at an inflexion point. The role of geospatial content is expanding beyond traditional markets and GIS-trained users, to include a broad range of organizations in the commercial, civil government and defense and intelligence communities who are increasingly accessing and incorporating geospatial information into their daily workflow,” said Jill Smith, CEO of DigitalGlobe.
“The acquisition of GlobeXplorer will enable DigitalGlobe to provide customers with the complete, current suite of easy-to-use and integrate geospatial data and solutions derived from satellite, aerial and related sources. The integration of GlobeXplorer enables us to put more complete products and solutions more quickly and easily into the hands of a broad range of users.”
Strategic Rationale
Today, as digital imagery becomes much more widely available, and competition increases between satellite imagery providers, aerial imagery providers, and geospatial content aggregators, DigitalGlobe continues to lead the market and set the standard for making high-resolution geospatial information more accessible, accurate, reliable and rapidly available for its commercial, civil, defense and intelligence clients. The combination of DigitalGlobe and GlobeXplorer:
• Creates the industry’s most complete, most current provider of high resolution digital Earth imagery and products with the combination of the DigitalGlobe, GlobeXplorer and AirPhotoUSA libraries.
• Provides an integrated Web-based delivery platform for faster, easier discovery and delivery of geospatial information and products.
• Enables DigitalGlobe to continue to develop and deliver the most technologically advanced, flexible geospatial products on the market to meet the evolving needs of GIS-trained and untrained customers in the commercial, civil and defense and intelligence communities.
• Extends and deepens DigitalGlobe’s resources for technology innovation, customer value and global reach.
“DigitalGlobe and GlobeXplorer share a common vision of offering users the ability to transact and deliver all types of geospatial content quickly and easily in a Web-based, context-centric format,” said Rob Shanks, president and CEO of GlobeXplorer. “Together, our companies will be at the forefront of distributing interactive geographic content on the Web. We’re excited at the opportunity to become a part of the DigitalGlobe team.”
GlobeXplorer is a geographic data integration and publishing company providing online access to the world’s largest commercial library of aerial photos, satellite imagery, geographic maps, and real property information. Through dynamic Web applications, Web services, APIs, Internet portals, and Internet-aware devices, GlobeXplorer distributes content via a range of business models. Prior to the acquisition, GlobeXplorer served as one of several resellers of DigitalGlobe’s satellite imagery.
To customers, DigitalGlobe becomes the “single-source destination” for digital Earth imagery, with the ability to quickly find and download the imagery they require, providing faster access to the geospatial data they need to conduct business and maintain competitive advantage in their markets. DigitalGlobe is the only imagery provider to offer an end-to-end system for accessing, understanding, integrating and leveraging all types of high-quality digital Earth imagery to make informed business decisions.
About DigitalGlobe
Longmont, Colo.- based DigitalGlobe (www.digitalglobe.com) is the clear leader in the global commercial Earth imagery and geospatial information market. The company’s technical superiority and innovation, unparalleled commitment to customer service, extensive business partner network and open systems philosophy make DigitalGlobe the preferred supplier of imagery products to government and commercial markets. DigitalGlobe’s QuickBird satellite is the world’s highest resolution commercial imaging system.
The company’s next-generation WorldView 1 satellite is scheduled to launch in mid-2007, and its WorldView 2 satellite is anticipated to launch in late 2008. The company’s updated and growing ImageLibrary contains over two hundred million square kilometers of global imagery suited to countless mapping and planning needs.
