The Story of ArchiFM

The ArchiFM product line started in 1998 inside Graphisoft. The goal of the development was to have a second, ArchiCAD related product for building management and technical operation/maintenance purposes. Another target was to create a pull effect on ArchiCAD sales. ArchiFM was planned to fit into the Virtual Building© concept of Graphisoft and to make the virtual building created by architect to a long term basis of the whole building lifecycle management.

During its development Graphisoft realized that the profession of Facilities Management focuses on two different activities:

- Maintaining building information data and

- Handling workflows - planned and breakdown maintenance activities.

As the product ArchiFM fulfilled the building information data management requirements professionally, Graphisoft started to develop a new product line in cooperation with professional external consultants, the ArchiFM Maintenance for workflow management. Both products meet the requirements in their markets on the highest level.

Spin-off of ArchiFM division

After years of being involved in CAFM software development it became clear that products have to be customizable to fulfill the exact customer needs since additional custom development projects are often required for the FM related service activities. Keeping the strong core functionality GS’s CAFM products were prepared for customization that enables partners to install the new CAFM-system (ArchiFM) much faster than competitive products. Meanwhile the customer services department was established.

In 2005 the management of Graphisoft, based on the agreement with the division managers, decided to let ArchiFM spin-off and establish a new company, named vintoCON Ltd. Graphisoft now concentrates on ArchiCAD, its flagship product and the new Construction management related product line while vintoCON continues the FM division. This enables vintoCON to act as a real facilities- and workflow management software manufacturer and technology provider, furthermore to establish effective service channels through its professional partners.

As a part of the spin-off process, Graphisoft decided to provide vintoCON with the ArchiFM source code as well to ensure the future and long term stability of the ArchiFM product portfolio. This means that vintoCON will proceed with the core- and custom product development of ArchiFM so clients may rely on future development results.

Inheriting the leading technology behind GS’s CAFM product line vintoCON has 20+ years of development experience in combination with a fresh dynamism, full focus and dedication to its market.

Graphisoft, vintoCON: short term and long term goals

Following the above changes Graphisoft decided to order the fulfillment of all of its existing ArchiFM related obligations from vintoCON. This gives strong financial background for the company on the one hand, and assures stability and high level quality for the end-users.

Graphisoft decided to proceed with core product development of ArchiFM product line for one more year. Meanwhile vintoCON can also build up its core development team in cooperation with existing Graphisoft employees. To support cooperation between Graphisoft’s ArchiFM team and vintoCON developers, Graphisoft accommodates the newly established company in the same offices in the Graphisoft Park as before.

These decisions help vintoCON sustain growth from the very first step. The objective of vintoCON is to be the leading Central-European CAFM Information Technology and Service Provider together with its partner network.

VintoCON is now responsible for the further development of ArchiFM products with a new product development plan. Continuous feature enhancements, evaluation of customer responses, new product modules and introducing a new platform are included in this plan. This new technology-change is done step-by-step, certainly supporting existing ArchiFM installations/features throughout. The new version is marketed under the name of ArchiFM-ProFM.