Dun & Bradstreet, a reliable partner in all your business decisions.

Many people believe the data revolution began in recent years. At Dun & Bradstreet, we take a slightly different view. We turn the clock back to July 20, 1841 – the day we set up shop as The Mercantile Agency in New York City.

Founded by Lewis Tappan, the agency helped spark a business information revolution by creating a network of correspondents that served as a source of reliable, consistent and objective credit information.

Dun & Bradstreet has grown considerably since the early days to retain its lead in the market by providing its customers with solutions and expert advice to enable them to take reliable credit, marketing as well as purchasing decisions.

500 Million Business Records and Counting

We also are constantly expanding the size and improving the quality of our global database.

In late 2018, our global database exceeded 500 million businesses worldwide. And we believe in accompanying those quarter-billion records and associated analytics with the high-quality service that is our hallmark.

History

1841
1847
1849
1859
1886
1898
1931
1933
1942
1951
1962
1963
1965
1972
1980
1983
1984
2001
2003
2004
2014
2015
2016
2019

1841 - Mercantile Agency set up by Lewis Tappan, the forerunner of Dun & Bradstreet

Lewis Tappan

1847 - Benjamin Douglas becomes a partner in the Mercantile Agency. Some of those correspondents later even became Presidents of America: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland and William McKinley.

Benjamin Douglas

1849 - John M. Bradstreet sets up the rival credit reporting agency in Cincinnati

John M. Bradstreet

1859 - Robert Graham Dun (brother-in-law of Benjamin Douglas) becomes the manager of The Mercantile Agency

Robert Graham Dun

1886 - R. H. Donnelley starts the Chicago Directory Company and introduces his first telephone directory in 1886

Chicago Directory Company

1898 - A photo of The R.G. Dun Building in New York. It was one of the first buildings with elevators and air conditioning.

R.G. Dun

1931 - R. G. Dun & Company introduces a new way of financial reporting

R.G. Dun

1933 - R. G. Dun & Company merges with The Bradstreet Company Dun & Bradstreet

Bradstreet Company

1942 - Dun & Bradstreet takes over a competitor: The credit Clearing House

Bradstreet Company

1951 - Dun & Bradstreet moves to 99 Church Street headquarters in New York City

Bradstreet Company

1962 - Dun & Bradstreet takes over Moody's

Bradstreet Company

1963 - Dun & Bradstreet introduces Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) and takes over Moody's

Bradstreet Company

1965 - Dun & Bradstreet produces its first publication based on a digital database

Bradstreet Company

1972 - Dun & Bradstreet produces the first computer generated financial report on a minicomputer

Bradstreet Company

1980 - Dun & Bradstreet passes $ 1 billion turnover and $ 100 million profit

Bradstreet Company

1983 - Dun & Bradstreet develops DUNSNet, the telephone network of the company

Bradstreet Company

1984 - Dun & Bradstreet takes over AC Nielsen

Bradstreet Company

2001 - Dun & Bradstreet launches a new corporate identity and logo

Bradstreet Company

2003 - Creates Dun & Bradstreet South Asia Middle East (D&B SAME)

Bradstreet Company

2004 - Dun & Bradstreet UAE was set up

Bradstreet Company

2014 - Dun & Bradstreet UAE acquired by CRIF GULF DWC LLC

Bradstreet Company

2015 - Dun & Bradstreet adapts a new corporate identity.

2016 - Dun & Bradstreet Egypt acquired by CRIF Egypt Information and Technology

Bradstreet Company

…and growing

Bradstreet Company

Fun Facts

Answer:

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe

Answer:

Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland & William McKinley

Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland & William McKinley

Answer:

Amistad

Amistad

Answer:

1963

Answer:

J.D. Rockefeller – who turned out to be a good credit risk; 1863 was the year he set up a refinery that blossomed into Standard Oil.

J.D. Rockefeller

Answer:

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson

Answer:

Lewis Tappan

Lewis Tappan

crif GULF DWC LLC operates snb logo in the U.A.E territory.