Milestones in our development
The ability to deliver the right service at the right time in the right place meant that we secured a leading place for ourselves in the IT industry from the moment we started in 1964. We were able at an early stage to demonstrate our skills in constructing efficient IT systems in industries where large numbers of people had previously dealt manually with huge amounts of highly varied information. As soon as we were able to show how our first clients in the textile and mail order industries had benefited from their IT investments, this opened all sorts of doors for us in other industries and business operations.
Here are a few of the most significant dates and events in the development of Pulsen.
| 1964 | Computer consultant Wigar Bartholdsson establishes computing operations in liaison with the Eiser textile company in Borås. In the same year Bartholdsson is offered a contract as a professional with a Swiss football club. He turns down the offer, focuses instead on the company, and before the end of the year he has recruited his first employee. |
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| 1965 | Eiser (Eiserdata) introduces round-the-clock computing operations and a number of textile companies in Borås (including Saxylle Kilsund and Bröderna Wennerlund) establish links with the company. |
| 1966 | Josefssons Postorder (mail order) and Viskans Kraft (power generation) join Eiserdata’s customer list. |
| 1967 | The company changes its name to Boråsdata AB. |
| 1971 | Boråsdata moves into its own premises in Borås. |
| 1974 | Sjuhäradsdata AB is established, with Boråsdata, Eiser and Josefssons Postorder as partners and joint owners. The first online systems are set up and quickly become a success. |
| 1979 | Eiser and Boråsdata now each own a 50% share in Sjuhäradsdata AB. |
| 1982 | Boråsdata becomes a reseller for IBM PC. |
| 1983 | Prior to becoming a listed company on the Swedish stock exchange, the company changes its name to Pulsen, to reflect its forward-looking ambitions. The venue is Studio Bubblan in Borås and the people behind the change are Kari Palmqvist and Wigar Bartholdsson. The same year also sees the purchase of premises in Borås. |
| 1984 | Pulsen is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange’s OTC list. Sjuhäradsdata becomes a wholly owned subsidiary and, following a number of corporate acquisitions, the Pulsen Group is formed. Pulsen becomes an agent for IBM mini-computers. Turnover: SEK 25 million. |
| 1985 | Pulsen opens shops in Jönköping and Vänersborg. The company now has just over 20 large and medium-sized companies on its books. |
| 1986 | Pulsen becomes an agent for IBM S/36 and S/38 computers. |
| 1988 | A sales office is established in Gothenburg. Pulsen becomes an agent for AS400 midrange computers. Pulsen Datasystem develops a computer system for municipal and county libraries (Public). |
| 1989 | Acquisition of Eurodata. |
| 1990 | More than 50 large and medium-sized companies and municipalities in Sweden are now users of Pulsen’s products and services. Turnover exceeds SEK 100 million. |
| 1991 | One of Pulsen’s mail-order clients moves into the Norwegian market and it becomes clear that Pulsen’s trading system for international markets works well. |
| 1992 | Pulsen delists from the Stockholm Exchange’s OTC list. Pulsen acquires 60% of Rowika in Gothenburg. The premises in Högsbo, Västra Frölunda are purchased. The subsidiary PEDAB Distribution becomes the distributor for IBM’s PC products. |
| 1993 | Sjuhäradsdata changes name to Pulsen Dataproduktion AB. |
| 1994 | Pulsen initiates cooperation with the Bonnier Group. A “club system for the 21st century” is developed. Pulsen is responsible for managing this system. Turnover exceeds SEK 200 million. |
| 1995 | Pulsen acquires Network Connectivity in Borås, which sells servers and network. Pulsen welcomes its first client outside Sweden. Turnover exceeds SEK 400 million. |
| 1996 | Acquisition of InformationsKompaniet with operations in Stockholm and Gothenburg. |
| 1997 | VOAC (later to become Parker Hannifin) uses Pulsen to establish communication with 13 European countries and the USA. Purchase of properties in Borås (Astern) and Gothenburg (Högsbo). |
| 1998 | Pulsen concentrates operations in two subsidiaries: Pulsen Data AB and Pulsen Fastighets AB. Turnover exceeds SEK 700 million. |
| 1999 | Acquisition of SCP in Stockholm and Unimax in Malmö. Turnover for the year tops SEK 900 million. |
| 2000 | The new-look Pulsen organisation (”One Pulsen”) is launched with four business areas: Pulsen Application, Pulsen Integration, Pulsen Systems and Pulsen Production. Pulsen Systems opens an office in Malmö. Purchase of premises in Bergshamra (Växten), Solna. |
| 2001 | The acquisition of certain lines of business in the MinDator Group (Stockholm) and the opening of a new office in Karlstad strengthens the market profile of Pulsen Integrations. Pulsen Systems becomes IBM’s first partner for the new zSeries (390). Pulsen builds a footbridge over the R40 motorway in Borås to link two of the company’s premises in the city. |
| 2002 | Pulsen Application and Pulsen Integration develop portal systems for 24-hour municipalities. Pulsen Integration in Vänersborg moves to Trollhättan. Sweden’s biggest “home PC” deal (for employees) is sealed between Volvo and IBM/Pulsen. Pulsen’s conference facility and restaurant opens in Borås (Astern). |
| 2003 | Pulsen Systems receives IBM’s annual award for “Best Business Partner (All categories)”. Acquisition of NOGUI, Thystrup Data and Bluetech. |
| 2004 | Pulsen is voted “Business Partner of the Year 2004” by IBM. Pulsen celebrates its 40th jubilee. Acquisition of NewSkills in Stockholm. |
| 2005 | Pulsen Consumer is set up to serve customers who have home PCs. Pulsen Integration’s e-business arm, it-butiken.se, is developed with a printed catalogue and telephone sales. The Harmoney business support system, designed for companies with trading, e-business, store and club activities, is put into production. Pulsen Finance is formed. Pulsen Fastighet opens conference and restaurant facilities in Borås. |
| 2006 | Acquisition of B&B Soft AB, which later becomes PEDAB Software One AB. Pulsen is voted “Business Partner of the Year 2006” by IBM. |
| 2007 | Pulsen Systems Solution AB is formed as a subsidiary to Pulsen Systems AB. Operations established in Finland via PEDAB Software Oy. Pulsen Application signs an agreement to develop IT support for Sweden’s social services. Pulsen secures a contract as part of Verva’s (the Swedish Agency for Public Management) procurement programme “Software and services 2007”. Turnover SEK 1.1 billion. |
| 2008 | Pulsen focuses its attention on the public sector with care management systems, secure ID and access. Pulsen Finance becomes Pedab Finance. Investment in funds for venture capital companies. New record-high turnover: SEK 1.2 billion. |
| 2009 | The global financial crisis unleashed by the collapse of Lehman Brothers in the autumn of 2008 affects more or less all operations. Pedab opens offices in Copenhagen and Oslo. New CEO for Pulsen Data appointed from SKF. New record-high turnover: over SEK 1.3 billion. |
| 2010 | Pulsen now has strong business support systems for the public sector and retail sector. Pulsen has reinforced its position as a specialist in system integration for trade and industry and the public sector. New records in financial performance. Turnover: approx. SEK 1.4 billion and profits of more than SEK 100 million. |
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