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The XYZ Digital Map Company was established in June 1998 by Dr Tim Rideout and Mark Fairbairn, and based in Eskbank, Midlothian, Scotland. The founders had previously worked for the Edinburgh map company John Bartholomew and Son. It remained jointly owned by the founders along with a number of minority shareholders.
XYZ specialised in digital cartography, air photography of Scotland, GIS software, training, and consultancy. It also produced the Global Mapping range of world, continental and national wall maps, the Skyview poster range of air photos, a series of UK postcode maps, and the Maps on Demand service.
It had grown to number seven staff, four of whom were ex Bartholomews, and sales of over half a million pounds per annum. By 2013 XYZ map data has been used in a number of World Atlases, including the World's largest atlas - Earth Platinum published by Australian company Millennium House.
The company sponsored the annual XYZ Digital Map Award of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society to a young Scottish cartographer up to 2008.
The XYZ Postcode Sector map of London was awarded the British Cartographic Society Stanfords Award for best map of 2010, and the People's Map London won the International Map Trade Association Silver Award for Best Map of 2010. XYZ map data was also used in the AGT Geocentre World Wall Map (IMTA Gold Award 2010), and in the Millennium House World Atlas (IMTA Best Atlas Gold Award 2010).
Dr Rideout of XYZ receives the Stanfords Award 2010 from Bob Lilley, BCS President.
The company's business was sold in 2013.