COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 7374

Computer Processing & Processing & Data Preparation Services

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

22companies1887–1996founding years22still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedKansas City Southern Industries, Inc.
1887
FoundedTRW Inc.
1901
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedGaleries Lafayette S.A.
1905
FoundedXerox Corporation
1906
FoundedBowne & Co., Inc.
1909
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedGrumman Corporation
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedVolt Information Sciences Inc.
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedMcLane Company, Inc.
1964
FoundedTyler Corporation
1966
FoundedComputer Data Systems, Inc.FoundedShared Medical Systems Corporation
1968
FoundedScience Applications International Corporation
1969
FoundedAmerican Management Systems, Inc.
1970
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
FoundedCompuServe Interactive Services, Inc.
1980
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedSunGard Data Systems Inc.
1982
FoundedTotal System Services, Inc.
1983
FoundedHabersham Bancorp
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedEmployee Solutions, Inc.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
TechnologyLinux and open source challenge proprietary software.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1887
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc.
TRW Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
Long a conglomerate, TRW Inc.
Galeries Lafayette S.A. →
Active · founded 1905 · France
Galeries Lafayette S.A.
Xerox Corporation →
Active · founded 1906
Xerox Corporation, virtually synonymous with photocopying, now touts itself as The Document Company.
Bowne & Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1909
The world's largest financial printer and one of the oldest companies in the United States, Bowne & Co., Inc.
CCH Inc. →
Active · founded 1927
Best known as the publisher of the Standard Federal Tax Reporter, CCH Inc., publishes a wide array of topical law…
Grumman Corporation →
Active · founded 1929
The manufacturer of the U.S.
Volt Information Sciences Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Volt Information Sciences Inc.
McLane Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
McLane Company, Inc., is one of the largest wholesale distribution companies in the United States.
Tyler Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
Once a Fortune 500 company with more than $1 billion in sales, Tyler Corporation operates as an information services…
Big Flower Press Holdings, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
Big Flower Press Holdings, Inc.
Computer Data Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Computer Data Systems, Inc.
Shared Medical Systems Corporation →
Active · founded 1968
Shared Medical Systems Corporation (SMS) is a leading provider of computer-based information processing systems and…
Science Applications International Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
Science Applications International Corporation is a leading U.S.
American Management Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
American Management Systems, Inc.
CompuServe Interactive Services, Inc. →
Active · founded 1980
One of the world's leading online information services, CompuServe Interactive Services, Inc.
Policy Management Systems Corporation →
Active · founded 1980
Policy Management Systems Corporation (PMSC) provides computer software and information services that help…
SunGard Data Systems Inc. →
Active · founded 1982
SunGard Data Systems Inc.
Total System Services, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Total System Services, Inc.
Habersham Bancorp →
Active · founded 1984
Established as a holding company in 1984, Habersham Bancorp combines Habersham Bank--a northeast Georgia financial…
Employee Solutions, Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
Employee Solutions, Inc.
SABRE Group Holdings, Inc. →
Active · founded 1996
SABRE Group Holdings, Inc.
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