  equitrac is a global software company that provides document cost management (auditing, allocation, recovery) and output management solutions for printers, copiers and multifunction devices. its target markets are professional services firms, general office and enterprise plus hospitality and higher education. the company has more than a 70% market share among large law firms. equitrac is headquartered in plantation, florida; has offices in the united states, canada and europe and global distribution via a network of distributors and resellers. the company is a microsoft silver certified partner. ==history== the company was launched by john kane and george wilson in 1977 as a regional distributor of copier control systems with five employees. it was long best known for selling the hardware that attaches to photocopiers and tracks their use for billing law firms' clients. in the 1980s, equitrac was twice named to the inc. 500 list as one of the country's fastest growing private companies. in 1991 it bought out its largest competitor, and then in 1992 went public and was listed on the nasdaq exchange. ===strategy shift=== technology has advanced since equitrac's founding, but the promise of a "paperless" office never materialized. instead, offices use more paper than ever before, racking up increasingly large copying and printing bills. equitrac changed gears to solidify its lead and grab more market share. the company began diversifying by developing software embedded in networked copiers, printers and multifunction devices, from manufacturers such as xerox, ricoh, canon and sharp. that switch also ushered in a fundamental shift in how equitrac earned its money: while previously it helped companies track costs that would later be charged back to clients, now equitrac helps those firms cut paper and ink costs. in 1999, top executives of the publicly traded firm wanted to cash out but found the thinly traded shares were nearly non-liquid. eventually, new york-based private equity firm cornerstone partners purchased equitrac and took it private. the $74 million purchase was financed in part by the shares of the executives, but mostly with $24.6 million from 
Companies_based_in_Broward_County,_Florida Plantation,_Florida Software_companies_based_in_Florida