MAPCON: THE ORIGINAL CMMS

The MAPCON Story

The days of lists and luck

Modern maintenance professionals may be amazed but some 30 odd years ago maintenance of plant and equipment assets was tracked (if at all) with pen and ink on printed forms or merely using paper lists. In fact, proper maintenance frequently depended upon some seasoned pro who could ‘read’ the peculiarities of particular pieces of equipment and knew from sound and smell when to add lubricant or rebuild a motor. Who would dare rely upon such a system today?

As computers (both mainframe and mini) came into widespread use during the 1970s, especially in larger corporate environments, some programming attempts were made to assist maintenance professionals in protecting vital plant and equipment assets. None of these early computer solutions met the real needs of the maintenance department. Staff still had to depend mainly upon lists and luck.

All of that changed in 1980 when a retired senior maintenance executive for DuPont named Jack Meadow decided to computerize maintenance management.

The father of modern maintenance management software

Jack Meadow is the father of modern maintenance management software. Fundamentally frustrated with the lack of a purpose-designed preventive maintenance scheduling and work order computer application, Jack determined he would fill that need for facilities and industry. Meadow gathered around him some brilliant young programmers like Andy Faust and others to design and develop what may well be the very first Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) in existence. This new comprehensive software was intended from the start to run on the new “Personal Computer” platform based on the Microsoft® DOS operating system. Jack’s group called its new product “MAPCON” as an acronym for MAintenance, Planning and CONtrol software.

Within a few short years as the use of personal computers exploded throughout the workplace, MAPCON maintenance management software was implemented in some of the largest organizations and businesses in the United States including DuPont, Coca-Cola, NASA and United Airlines. The Jack Meadow designed MAPCON technology was a promising software platform filling a growing demand for a professional approach to protecting capital assets and equipment.

The team of Madden and Steinberger

Enter the dynamic team of Arch Madden and Robert (Bob) Steinberger. Arch Madden was a small business investor and respected philanthropist who had become successful as the owner of all of the McDonalds franchise stores in the Des Moines, Iowa metropolitan area. Bob Steinberger, a close business associate of Arch, was a distinguished nuclear systems engineer for the U.S. Air Force who directly participated in many of the early nuclear weapons tests during the Cold War. Both understood the power and potential of the MAPCON computerized maintenance management system developed by the Meadow team. Arch Madden bought the MAPCON software package and Bob Steinberger took charge of the program group for a period of intense development and capability upgrades.

Under Bob’s leadership, MAPCON CMMS software came into its own. Steinberger not only recruited additional top-flight application developers and programmers, but he reached out to MAPCON’s end users in a way not usually done in the information technology business. Over the next several years, MAPCON maintenance software users coalesced into a fraternity and began to work with each other to improve their business practices and chosen software. So in the early 1990s the MAPCON Users Group (MUG) came into existence. MUG was independently incorporated by MAPCON software end users and began conducting an annual conference as a forum to provide substantial input into MAPCON product development. Now over twenty years later, MUG continues its annual conferences and provides an opportunity for MAPCON CMMS users to take part in presentations, network with fellow users and learn more about MAPCON maintenance software by attending specialized training classes.

Easy to use. Powerful software. Priced right.

MAPCON development has evolved as well. Today, Mapcon Technologies, Inc. is an employee-owned enterprise. Our team of maintenance professionals and application developers are fiercely dedicated to our outstanding maintenance management products and to our customers.

Mapcon Technologies, Inc. has a proud and consistent track record of new, innovative maintenance management products with industry-proven results. Recently, Mapcon Technologies, Inc. released software versions developed for both Microsoft® Windows Server as well as Web-based versions using JDK (Java Development Kit) technology. Our new SaaS (Software as a Service) option called MAPCON On-Demand brings our CMMS Software products to any facility or industry for a universally affordable cost unheard of only a year ago. Our outstanding and unrivaled MAPCON Mobile App integrates your MAPCON CMMS software with any Apple or Android mobile device (smartphone or tablet).

We believe that our MAPCON CMMS software, whether Lite or Pro, is so comprehensive it offers a solution for almost any manufacturer, facility or organization. That’s not all though. Our MAPCON team provides absolutely the best customer service of any competing CMMS software! When you call our support department you’ll never get shunted to an untrained telephone operation located in some far away land. Our customer service is located right here at our headquarters. You speak directly with the very technicians who maintain the software you use every day! Our service alone sets us apart and ahead of the competition.

Finally, we’re proud of the fact that Mapcon Technologies customers are our most fervent evangelists. And why not? With over 30 years of maintenance management history, a 100% employee-owned company, an independent users group, maintenance management products for every size and type of organization and top-notch personal support service, no one beats MAPCON.

Easy to use. Powerful software. Priced right.

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