Foundation Systems

Infobox Company
company_name = Foundation Systems Limited
company_
vector_
company_type = VAR and ISV
genre =
foundation = 1982
founder =
location_city = Norwich and London
location_country = United Kingdom
location = UK
origins =
key_people = Ray Townsend, Rob Johnson, Len Palmer, Peter Dryer, David Singh, Hugh Scantlebury
area_served =
industry =
products = Financial and business solutions
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees = 50-120
parent = Systems Union
divisions =
subsid =
owner =
company_slogan = "Solutions for success"
homepage = [http://www.foundationsystems.co.uk Foundation Systems home page]
dissolved =
footnotes =

Foundation Systems Limited was firstly an independent and then more latterly, a specialist UK direct delivery Value Added Reseller (VAR) business with the Systems Union group of companies (which in turn was itself subsequently acquired by Infor Global Solutions in 2006). Foundation Systems acted as a systems integrator delivering a broad software portfolio, based around the core offering of SunSystems, to mid-market organisations, predominantly in the UK.

History

The business was created in 1982 by a team of experienced ex-Olivetti employees based in Norwich, Norfolk, England led in the main by Ray Townsend, Rob Johnson and Peter Dryer. The business grew successfully during the 1980s on the back of providing turnkey PC network solutions based around the Multisoft range of accounting and business products. Subsequent acquisitions of businesses including Spartex added Tetra and SunSystems to the portfolio of products carried; introduced a London base of operations (located in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire and a number of other key personnel including Len Palmer and David Singh.

During the 1990s the business focused more and more on SunSystems whose success eventually led to the disposal of the Multisoft and Tetra Chameleon divisions. At the same time Foundation Systems increased its investment in the development of its own in-house products which culminated in the release of SharpOWL, a highly sophisticated project accounting and resource management solution in 1999.

Following a management buyout in 1989 backed by [3i] , the business demerged in 2001 into three core businesses:

*Foundation Systems Limited - the core systems integration business (SunSystems)
*SharpOWL Software International Limited - the ISV developing the product of the same name. This business was acquired by AIM Group in 2003, who subsequently became part of [http://www.computersoftware.com/ Computer Software Group] in 2005.
*Foundation Software Solutions Limited - a specialist provider of solutions of the UK educational sector. This business was acquired by [http://www.tribalgroup.co.uk - Tribal Group] in 2003.

In December 2003, Foundation Systems was acquired by Systems Union Group plc, following which it ran as a free standing system systems integrator until the whole group was subsequently acquired by Infor Global Solutions in July 2006. Over this period Foundation Systems specialised in providing solutions to the following key market sectors:
* Professional services
* Social housing
* Not-for-profit, charities & education
* Financial services
* Leisure
* Retail
* Technology
* Media

External links

* [http://www.foundationsystems.co.uk Foundation Systems web site]