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GIS/geospatial industry worldwide growth is forecast to slow to 1 percent, down from 11 percent in 2008 and 17.4 percent in 2007, according to a just-released study by Daratech Inc., a Cambridge, Mass., market research firm. However, industry CEOs interviewed by Daratech were unanimous in their belief that growth consistent with the robust 11 percent compound annual growth rate of the past six years would return in 2010.



Intergraph, the second largest player in the traditional segment, is forecast by Daratech to have a 16 percent market share in 2009, up from 15 percent in 2008. Intergraph is remaking its entire business around a GIS philosophy; and as a GIS service provider, Intergraph is likely to become even stronger in the years ahead.
Third ranked is GE Energy, which is the market leader in the utilities market where it is forecast to have a 24 percent market share.

ESRI is second with a 15.7 percent share, and Bentley Systems, the leading supplier of GIS/geospatial AEC market software and services (where it has a 42.1 percent market share), is third. Bentley has frequently made the running in the geo-enabled engineering applications market and continues to demonstrate strong leadership in this area. However, Bentley can expect stronger competition from Autodesk, Intergraph and ESRI in the coming years as this segment of the market may show greater than average growth, Daratech says.
Just released, Daratech’s study “GIS/Geospatial Markets & Opportunities” includes more than 1,500 charts that cover both the private and public market segments for the years 2004 through 2009. It is available for purchase atwww.daratech.com.