McLaren Software’s main product is Enterprise Engineer, an integrated suite of content management solutions for operators and contractors in engineering industries, including process manufacturing, utilities, and construction. The package enables users to manage engineering content (drawings, CAD documents, records, reports, manuals etc) together with the business processes which use it (workflow, distribution, approvals, etc). McLaren was started in 1997 as a systems integrator for Documentum (EMC), and subsequently exploited the opportunity of creating applications running on top of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems. The company has put in place technology partnerships with major ECM developers, including AutoDesk, FileNet, and Documentum, and has now established itself as Documentum’s top partner worldwide.
The company’s expansion in the USA is driven on the one hand by the number of large construction projects being planned there, especially in the oil & gas sector, and by the relative readiness of Americans (in contrast to their European counterparts) to accept new technology. McLaren now sells to 47 countries, and has offices in Dusseldorf and Houston as well as Glasgow. Founder and chief executive officer Paul Muir is now based full time in the States, but development activity and the company headquarters will remain in Scotland. McLaren completed a £2 million funding round in mid 2003, led by Sigma Technology. At the end of October Sigma led a further £1 million round of investment in the business, to support the continued expansion of the US operation and the launch of the core product on to new platforms.