January 9, 2006—Autodesk, Inc. has announced that it has acquired the majority of Applied Spatial Technologies’ assets, including its flagship software application for facilities management, FM Desktop.
This acquisition signals Autodesk’s entry into the facilities management space, and will enable Autodesk customers including owners and teants to create, manage and share building data throughout the entire building lifecycle, says Autodesk. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
FM Desktop supports space management and basic maintenance management with easy-to-use applications that can be quickly installed and implemented by the user. Applied Spatial built the scalable computer aided facility management (CAFM) suite of products on Autodesks Design Web Format (DWF) platform.
As a member of the Autodesk Developer Network (ADN), Applied Spatial used the Autodesk DWF Toolkit. Leveraging the DWF file format for FM Desktop allows building managers to transform floor plans and other visual drawings into lightweight files that can easily be accessed and shared through a simple desktop application. This innovative approach allows space planners and facility managers to utilize complex CAD information without having to be trained on CAD software, and readily access graphical images that aid in day-to-day facilities management.
A privately held company based in Londonderry, New Hampshire, Applied Spatial Technologies was founded in 2003 by three veterans of the computer design software industry. For more information, visit the company Web site and see the ad on FMLink.
With seven million users, Autodesk is the world’s leading software and services company for the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields. For more information, visit the company’s Web site.
As part of the acquisition agreement, Autodesk plans to support FM Desktop customers and honor existing subscription agreements.
