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Enabling Innovation

Enabling Innovation

For the last 40 years and the next

The Maptek philosophy is to keep customer needs first and foremost – aiming for your success is the motivation behind more than 40 years of innovation.

Mining is in the Maptek DNA - it defines our past and guides our future direction for the benefit of customers and industry, with a renewed commitment to continuously improve workflows alongside robust tools for optimisation of mining operations.

In 2021 we celebrated four decades of innovation, from revolutionary interactive drillhole manipulation and modelling, to cloud-based machine learning for rapid domain modelling. Here we recap that foundation and the themes that defined our journey.

1981 - 1990

Everything starts with an idea

Great ideas are only a starting point. Our first customers told us what they really wanted, and kept our feet on the ground. Interactive graphical editing of drillholes coupled with fast surface and block modelling found good traction on large projects with tight timeframes. Desktop 3D software gave mining professionals control over their projects, following familiar workflows.

1991 - 2000

Riding the mining market

The mining industry has always been subject to market influences. Having ridden out the 1987 crash we surfed the ups and downs of the 1990s, changing position with our hardware platforms, finding new applications for our software and testing out new markets.

We continued to expand into new geographical locations to serve our multinational customers.

2001 - 2010

Expansion into hardware

Having proved ourselves in the geological modelling and engineering design software arena, we pivoted into revolutionary survey hardware. Our 3D laser scanner with inbuilt panoramic camera and advanced software set a benchmark for portability and soon travelled to all corners of the globe.

Customers validated the benefits of a cross-product integrated mining solution that paired powerful point cloud modelling software with safe, accurate survey systems.

2011 - 2020

Looking outwards

Customer operations were promoting standardisation. We streamlined our licensing and introduced automated workflows and easier access to scripted solutions. We saw gaps in mining processes and stepped in to fill them.

We collaborated with industry leaders and partnered with like-minded providers. We nurtured future professionals around the world through university training, scholarships and internship programs.

2021 - onwards

Driving the future

The challenges of covid gave fresh impetus to developing and adopting new ways of working. Data, connectivity, cloud computing and optimisation algorithms are key to unlocking the power of automation.

Our technology roadmap targets solutions that benefit industry, increase operational productivity and enhance user experience. As always, input from our customers has driven us since the start of our journey, and experimentation and R&D projects keep innovation front of mind.

Our purpose is clear - to change forever the way mining is done.

In 2022 we released an enhanced ideology to provide a clear view of our purpose and beliefs, and the principles that guide them. Maptek believes integrated decision-making support systems are the best way we can help miners make better decisions.

Continuous improvement does not mean abandoning the past. Our DNA talks of our past and charts our future. Thank you to all our customers, partners and employees who are links in that continuing chain.

Read more about our ideology