ACD Systems

ACD Systems

ACD Systems International Inc. ACD Systems is the largest and most respected independent digital image editing and management provider in the world. The company was founded in 1993 in Texas by technology and imaging visionary, Doug Vandekerkhove. He foresaw the importance of the convergence of analog and digital (print, photos, scans, video and metadata) in the 80’s, revolutionizing how analog and digital information was used in pre-Web applications. Initially, customized hardware and software systems were developed to integrate computer data with photos and video in analog form to produce a hybrid view of data from both sources. This was used to revolutionize the in-store data and video systems of retailers. With the availability of the first analog to digital converters from Apple, pre-Web, hyperlink-style forms were created that were the predecessors of modern day Web design. As personal computers developed, ACD provided the software required to view and manage jpeg files on the Windows Operating system and was the standard from 1994 through to 2000.

The company soon turned its expertise to image editing and management products that help amateur and professional photographers, and Fortune 500 companies enhance, manage and disseminate their valuable digital assets. ACD Systems quickly gained a loyal following around the world. Over the years, individuals and organizations have come to rely on ACD to do more and get more out of their images. Today ACD holds six patents and millions of ACDSee products are in use throughout the world. In fact, ACDSee products are so popular in Asia that they are second only to Louis Vuitton in product piracy. ACD maintains strong connections to the professional and amateur photography world through the ProStars program, extensive beta programs, discussion groups and user groups.

Over six patents are currently incorporated into the ACD Systems’ ground-breaking products. The company’s advanced technology is based on over twenty years of research:

• Patented LCE (Lighting Contrast Enhancement) Single exposure HDR (high dynamic range) technology lets users drastically improve the quality of their photos by correcting lighting and exposure problems, including high contrast and backlit scenes, insufficient flash, dull images, and under and overexposure. (The alternative multi-exposure HDR results in motion blur, as well as process and capture complexity).

ACD Systems has offices in the United States and Canada. The company currently serves millions of consumers, small and medium-sized businesses and corporate customers. Representative customer markets include AEC (architecture, engineering and construction), insurance, manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, government, architecture/construction, education, gaming, technology, bio/health, and oil/gas/energy. Customers include General Motors, Caterpillar, Boeing, The New York City Fire Department, NASA, CNN, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. ACDSee software was used in the making of the movie, Titanic because the filmmakers recognized that only ACDSee could provide the illustration, editing and management tools required for their large scale, complicated development tasks and image management.