History

As early as July 20, 1841, Dun & Bradstreet, then known as The Mercantile Agency opened its doors in New York and began a business information revolution. As of December 2016, Dun & Bradstreet Benelux has been transferred to the Altares Group and is known as Altares Benelux.

Abraham-Lincoln-photo
Altares D&B Credit
2017
Dun & Bradstreet launches D&B Credit
A global cloud-based solution that enables companies to manage risk, drive growth and achieve business integration. Featuring unparalleled business credit scoring and analytics using the world's largest commercial database.
2017
2017
Dun & Bradstreet launches new D&B Direct+ API
An all-new lightning-fast integration service that streams Dun & Bradstreet's global data and analytics directly into business applications.
2017
2017
Dataxess CRM
A master data solution for both Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics that allows customers to match, enrich and maintain their customer data in their CRM.
2017
2016
Dun & Bradstreet is selling its interests in the branches in Belgium and the Netherlands to the French company Altares. It has previously done so in other countries such as Germany, Scandinavia (Bisnode) and Spain (Informa). Dun & Bradstreet believes that local, independent partners have more clout. The Benelux offices have used the name 'Altares Dun & Bradstreet' since 2016.
2016
2015
Dun & Bradstreet new corporate identity, logo and identity
Dun & Bradstreet new corporate identity, logo and identity. CEO Bob Carrigan came to Dun & Bradstreet in October 2013 with a vision to achieve long-term sustainable growth and modernize all aspects of the business. Carrigan is leading that vision with a far-reaching brand modernization that will be implemented in Dun & Bradstreet's products and solutions.

Dun & Bradstreet's history played an important role in its brand modernization efforts. It began with an exploratory trip to Harvard University's Baker Library, where the R.G. Dun & Co. and Dun & Bradstreet Collections, are gathered. This vast archive contains Dun & Bradstreet's earliest creditor books and trade reports.

The inspiration gained from the archive has been the basis for Dun & Bradstreet's new brand identity.
dnb-logo-us
2015
2008
Dun & Bradstreet Netherlands moved
Dun & Bradstreet Netherlands moved to Montevideo Offices in Rotterdam.
montevideo-offices-1024x768
2008
2006
Manageo is acquired by Altares
As a specialist in online B2B data, Manageo helps optimize companies' revenue growth by managing their online data and marketing campaign strategy (SEO, content marketing, programmatic marketing, email and more)
2006
2006
Altares was created in 2006 through the merger of BIL (Base d'Infos Légales) and D&B France.
Since then, the company continued to grow while maintaining its connection with Dun & Bradstreet. Altares is part of the global D&B network. Where it is often praised for its data innovations and applications across a variety of industries.
2006
2005
Dun & Bradstreet launches DNBi in the Americas
DNBi is a web-based platform that transforms the effectiveness of credit management. Powerful yet flexible, DNBi can be easily adapted to the way customers work. Users have instant access to the information they need.
DNBi_Screenshot_bedrijfssamenvatting
2005
2002
Dun & Bradstreet launches DUNSright
2002
2001
Dun & Bradstreet launches new corporate identity and logo
dun-and-bradstreet-logo-old-e1514971895707
2001
1996
Dun & Bradstreet acquires iMarket Inc
The acquisition, known for its award-winning CD-ROM marketing data products, strengthens Dun & Bradstreet's ability to provide marketing solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. In addition, iMarket's data sources enhance Dun & Bradstreet's own database, which is already world-class. "iMarket's Internet and desktop solutions will help us capture our small business opportunities by broadening our offerings to small and medium-sized customers. Dun & Bradstreet also plans to use the zapdata.com (now Hoovers) tool to further migrate our business to the web." Says Allan Loren, Dun & Bradstreet Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
iMarket-Inc
1996
1984
Dun & Bradstreet acquires A.C. Nielsen
Nielsen's unmatched status as a leader in marketing research caught the attention of Dun & Bradstreet Corporation. Arthur C. Nielsen Jr. eventually sold A.C. Nielsen for $1.3 billion. Actually, the two companies had been considering such a merger for more than 15 years, as Nielsen and Harrington Drake, chairman and CEO of Dun & Bradstreet, told the New York Times. 'We both have the ability to collect a lot of data and deliver it efficiently to customers,' Nielsen explained. 'I'm sure Nielsen will use both our technology and our databases,' Drake added. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
AC Nielsen logo
1984
1983
Dun & Bradstreet Develops DUNSnet
The company's telephone network.
1983
1972
Dun & Bradstreet produces first generated financial report on a 'mini-computer'
Personal-computer-1972-IBM
1972
1965
Dun & Bradstreet publishes its first publication based on a digital database. Unique at the time
1965
1965
Dun & Bradstreet introduces the Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S).
Competitor Moody's is also being acquired.
Moodys
1965
1951
Dun & Bradstreet moved to new home at 99 Church Street in New York next to St. Peters Catholic Church
Church-Street-photo-1024x683
1951
1933
In 1933 - Merger of former archrivals R.G. Dun & Co and John M. Bradstreet Company to form Dun & Bradstreet
In the 1930s, the effects of the rivalry and of the economic depression on both companies could no longer be ignored. In 1933, former archrivals R.G. Dun & Co and John M. Bradstreet Company merged to form Dun & Bradstreet. The merger was led by Arthur Whiteside, CEO of R.G. Duns & Co. Thanks to his excellent diplomatic skills, Whiteside was able to strike a deal with the company's biggest competitor. Where previously both companies sold "products," Whiteside began to place more and more emphasis on service. With great leadership, he led D&B out of the Depression and into the information age. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Old-Dun-and-Bradstreet-logo
1933
1902
R.G. Dun & Company opens first branch in Amsterdam
Later, several branches will follow in Tilburg, Almelo, Haarlem, The Hague and two branches in Rotterdam, respectively.
1902
1900
John Moody introduces a series of industry manuals and eventually starts Moody's Investor Service in 1914
John-Moody-Photo
1900
1898
A photo of The R.G. Dun Building in New York.
It was one of the first buildings with elevators and air conditioning.
RG-Dun-Building
1898
1870
The office of R.G. Dun & Company at 618 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia in 1870
RG-Duns-Office-1970
1870
1865
Robert Graham Dun invests as much as $15,000 in a new corporate printing facility
This allows R.G. Dun & Company to publish the Dun Reference Book every six months.
Reference-Book
1865
1859
In 1859 Douglass turned the agency over to his brother-in-law Robert Graham Dun
Under the new name, R.G. Dun & Company, Dun continued to expand. Dun led the company for over 40 years. Under his leadership, the company expanded throughout the United States. It also went beyond national borders.
robert-graham-dun
1859
1849
A strong competitor - and a new player
In 1849, the rival John M. Bradstreet Company was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio. Two years later, the Bradstreet organization launched the use of credit ratings with the publication of the first book of commercial ratings. The rivalry between The John M. Bradstreet Company and Douglass' agency increased as the U.S. entered the 20th century. Fundamentally, this had lasting effects on the fate of the two organizations.
john-m-bradstreet-photo
1849
1847
To encourage expansion, in 1849 Tappan turned the agency over to Benjamin Douglass
A former clerk. Douglass took advantage of the improved transportation and communications of his day by expanding his network of offices, which allowed the Agency to offer both new clients and excellent information. Some of those correspondents even went on to become presidents of America: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland and William McKinley.
Abraham-Lincoln-photo
1847
1841
Mercantile Agency
To assist American merchants in their decision-making, in 1841 an enterprising businessman named Lewis Tappan (b. 1788) began to establish a network of correspondents who would act as a source of reliable and objective credit information. His Mercantile Agency, based in New York City, was one of the first organizations to focus exclusively on providing business information to customers
Lewis-Tappan-Massachusetts-Historical-Society
1841

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