21 September 2009

Ordnance Survey to showcase new vector mapping product at industry conference

The launch of new, customisable vector mapping from Ordnance Survey will be one of the highlights at this year’s Association of Geographic Information GeoCommunity conference.

OS VectorMap Local is the first new vector mapping product from Ordnance Survey for over 3 years. It provides an alternative to traditional raster mapping products, allowing users to completely customise the content, style and colour of the mapping to meet their own needs.

The AGI conference, held in Stratford-upon-Avon on 23-24 September, has been the geographic information industry’s annual flagship event for over a decade. This year’s theme; ‘Realising the Value of Place’ addresses the challenges and opportunities for GI professionals in a time of global economic change. Ordnance Survey, as a Platinum Sponsor of the event, will be taking the opportunity to demonstrate a range of new products and services, including OS Vector Map Local, OS OpenSpace Pro and OS On Demand.

Ordnance Survey expects OS VectorMap Local to be a valuable tool for anyone that wants to display information using customisable mapping, including local councils, insurers and asset managers. Paul Cruddace, Product Manager at Ordnance Survey comments: “The flexibility of being able to create the kind of map you want for an exact purpose or project is going to be invaluable. No longer will users be forced to use a set style or scale.”

OS VectorMap Local is suitable for viewing at scales from between 1:3 000 to 1:20 000 and users can add or remove features and create their own colour scheme.

Craig Moulding, Corporate Geographical Information Systems Manager at Calderdale Council, has been testing the product through the OS Insight programme. He comments:  “OS VectorMap Local offers the potential to plug the gaps between traditional raster scales, as well as offering the ability to create bespoke base mapping to meet specific business needs, through flexible user-defined styling.”

In addition, Ordnance Survey will be jointly running a GeoWeb workshop with Microsoft, demonstrating how OS OpenSpace and Bing Maps for Enterprise can be used together. The session will look at how the aerial imagery available through Bing Maps can be combined with Ordnance Survey mapping to create function rich-applications. A range of other exciting new OS OpenSpace mash-ups will also be demonstrated.

Vanessa Lawrence CB, Ordnance Survey Director General and Chief Executive, who will address delegates in her keynote speech entitled “Realising the Value of Place”, comments: “This year’s AGI Conference is an especially exciting one for Ordnance Survey with many new and innovative and exciting products and services to discuss and demonstrate.

“Our industry currently faces enormous pressure from rapidly evolving markets, changing perceptions and increasing competition. As such, it has never been more important for us to learn from each other and embrace new ways of working. The AGI GeoCommunity provides a hugely valuable opportunity to do that and to help ensure the value of geographic information is maximised by everyone.”

Around 700 delegates are expected to attend this year with a conference programme which covers topics from cloud computing to mapping underground assets and using GI to fight crime.

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Head of Corporate Communications - Rob Andrews

Email: rob.andrews@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8005 5563

Senior Communications & PR Officer - Paul Beauchamp

Email: paul.beauchamp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8005 5564

Press Office fax: (+44) 023 8005 6156