Thunderhead (software)

Thunderhead is a UK-based software company that provides products and services for the composition and generation of personalized or transaction-specific documents and multi-channel communications. The basis of the product is a Java-based enterprise platform, that pulls information from an organization's databases and assembles them in personalized documents or output according to pre-defined rules. Typical examples include customer correspondence, insurance documents, financial statements, and XML data streams, such as those used in producing derivatives trade confirmations. Organizations use this technology to automate the creation and assembly of high-volume communications delivered across multiple channels, including XML Messaging, Print, E-mail, Web, or SMS & MMS for mobile devices.

Applications include an Interactive Design Studio for document engineering and template creation, a rules-based Composition Engine that provides content-based assembly, and a Correspondence Framework and Communications Review tool that facilitates ad-hoc document creation and external review and approval of documents.

The Thunderhead technology is based on open standards, is built from the ground up on XML and designed to fully leverage the XML stack, particularly XSLT and XSL-FO.

Background

The company was founded in 2001 by CEO Glen Manchester, whose first foray into the document generation industry was Geneva Digital. After eight years, Geneva Digital was acquired by Xenos Corporation, a Canada-based public company. Glen subsequently served as CEO of Xenos prior to returning to the United Kingdom to establish Thunderhead. Funded privately, the company underwent a two-year R&D period before launching its commercial product in 2003.

Thunderhead was listed in the Sunday Times 2007 Tech Track 100 league table of the fastest growing UK technology companies, and was subsequently awarded the Best Use Of Technology award at the Tech Track 100 awards dinner [ [http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/fasttrack2002/migration/dbDetails.asp?siteID=3&compID=2144&yr=2007 Sunday Times 2007 Tech Track 100] ] [ [http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/fasttrack2002/press/Tech07-event.pdf Sunday Times 2007 Tech Track 100 Awards] ] .

Thunderhead was listed as a finalist in the UK Technology Awards for 2006 in the category of Enterprise Software Product of the Year [ [http://www.cnetnetworks.co.uk/press/releases/0,10000069,10000117,00.htm UK Technology Awards for 2006] ] . Thunderhead is also listed in the Software Magazine Software 500 in 2006 and 2007 [ [http://www.softwaremag.com/S_FocusAreas.cfm?Doc=The500 Software 500] at [http://www.softwaremag.com softwaremag.com] ] .

Partnerships

Thunderhead has technology partnerships with IBM and TIBCO. For specialist integration services Thunderhead partners with IBM-GBS and HCL_Technologies.

Industry Alliances

Thunderhead's technologies are based on XML, and the company is strongly supportive of XML initiatives. Thunderhead is a member [ [http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Member/List W3C Member List] ] of the W3C and is an active participant in the further development of XSL-FO.

Thunderhead is also involved with a number of organizations, all of which are concerned with the development of XML-based messaging standards for specific industry sectors, including:
* ACORD Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development
* DTCC Depository_Trust_%26_Clearing_Corporation
* ISDA (International Swaps & Derivatives Association)
* LIXI (Lending Industry XML Initiative) [See [http://www.lixi.org.au LIXI (Lending Industry XML Initiative)] ]
* MISMO (Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization) [See [http://www.mismo.org/default.htm MISMO (Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization)] ]
* Origo Standards [See [http://www.origostandards.com Origo] ]
* SWIFT [See [http://www.swift.com SWIFT] ]

Thunderhead is also an Advisory Trade Member of AIIM, the Association for Information and Image Management.

References

External links

For more information about Thunderhead please visit the [http://www.thunderhead.com Thunderhead Official Web Site] .
* [http://www.acord.org/spd/spd_company.aspx?VendId=720 Thunderhead] at [http://www.acord.org ACORD]
* [http://www.dtcc.com/news/newsletters/dtcc/2006/may/sidebars/omgeo.php Thunderhead] at [http://www.dtcc.com DTCC]
* [http://www-03.ibm.com/industries/financialservices/doc/content/resource/business/2593714103.html Thunderhead] at [http://www-03.ibm.com IBM]