Partners celebrate awards for innovation at Ordnance Survey conference

Six companies are celebrating success at Ordnance Survey‘s partner awards – thanks to their innovative use of geographic information.

Landmark Information Group, SIA Limited, eMapSite, GroundSure, ESRI (UK) and Augmentra Limited all triumphed with awards at a ceremony in Newport, Wales.

The awards were held during Ordnance Survey’s annual partner conference – attended by organisations with products and services based on the mapping agency’s accurate, reliable and detailed geographic information.

“Partners are vital to the success of our business,” says Mark Salter, Head of Partners and Strategic Alliance at Ordnance Survey. “Their innovation helps ensure that Ordnance Survey’s geographic information underpins products and services right across public and private sectors.

“Our awards reflect our recognition of this. I’d like to congratulate all of the winners on their tremendous achievements during the past year – and wish them every success for the future.”

Most Innovative product of 2007-8 in the land & property sector went to Landmark Information Group’s GoView – which provides estate agents with instant online access to high quality, detailed Ordnance Survey maps for use in property details.

In the transport sector, SIA Limited claimed the award for its dataMAP Routing System. Its uses include logistics, online routing, transportation planning and ‘where is my nearest?’ applications.

GroundSure provides environmental risk screening reports – offering advice to the nation’s ever-changing property, conveyancing and financial markets. The company picked up the award for the banking, finance and insurance sector.

The most innovative service went to eMapSite – which provides a comprehensive range of digital mapping and related services for businesses across all sectors.

The selection panel also picked out ESRI (UK) for most innovative web-based service. ESRI (UK) offers GIS solutions to a range of different markets. These include financial services, where ESRI (UK) is making particular strides in the role of developing the role of geography in insurance, defence, local and central government, public safety, utilities and telecommunications

Selected for most innovative product in the navigation sector was Augmentra Limited. The company provides navigational aids specifically designed for use on mobile phones by active outdoor enthusiasts such as tourists, walkers, cyclists and equestrians.

More than 150 delegates attended the partner conference – called Location 2008 – giving them a chance to meet and discuss future opportunities and uses of Ordnance Survey data.

In addition to presentations from key representatives of Ordnance Survey – including Director General and Chief Executive, Vanessa Lawrence CB – there were high-profile speakers from a range of key industry businesses. Among them – Jill Boulton from JBA, Andrew Lee of EMEA, founder of Canalys Chris Jones, Nick Starling from ABI and Bill Gloyn of Aon Ltd.