UNISYS

Unisys Corporation is a global technology solutions company founded in 1986 and headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. The company provides cloud, AI, digital workplace, logistics, and enterprise computing services.

History

Founding

Unisys’ history dates back to 1873 with E. Remington & Sons and the introduction of the first commercially viable typewriter to use the QWERTY keyboard layout. Over a hundred years later, the company became known as Unisys in 1986 through the merger of mainframe corporations Sperry and Burroughs, with Burroughs buying Sperry for $4.8 billion.

The new company's name was chosen from over 31,000 submissions in an internal competition when Christian Machen submitted the word "Unisys", which was composed of parts of the words "united", "information", and "systems".

The merger was the largest in the computer industry at the time and made Unisys the second-largest computer company with annual revenue of $10.5 billion. W. Michael Blumenthal became CEO and Chairman.

20th century

Soon after the merger, the market for proprietary mainframe-class systems, the mainstream product of Unisys and its competitors such as IBM, saw a decline that continues, at a slower rate, today. Unisys responded by making the strategic decision to shift into high-end servers, including 32-bit processor Windows Servers and information technology (IT) services, such as systems integration, outsourcing, and related technical services, while holding onto the profitable revenue stream from maintaining its installed base of proprietary mainframe hardware and applications.

In 1988, the company acquired Convergent Technologies, creators of Convergent Technologies Operating System (CTOS).

In 1990, Blumenthal resigned. James Unruh, formerly of Memorex and Honeywell, became the new CEO and Chairman after Blumenthal's departure and continued in both roles until 1997, when Larry Weinbach of Arthur Andersen became the new CEO.

21st century

Unisys launched their business process consulting service in 2004. This service called Business Blueprints helped developers create high level models of their own software.

Joseph McGrath served as CEO and President from January 2005, until September, 2008. On October 7, 2008, J. Edward Coleman replaced McGrath as CEO and Chairman.

On November 10, 2008, the company was removed from the S&P 500 index when the market capitalization of the company had fallen below the S&P 500 minimum of $4 billion.

In 2010, Unisys sold its Medicare processing Health Information Management service to Molina Healthcare for $135 million.

On October 6, 2014, after six years as CEO and chairman, Unisys announced that Coleman was stepping down effective December 1, 2014.

In December 2014, Unisys named Peter Altabef as its new president and CEO, replacing J. Edward Coleman. The company also announced that Paul Weaver, who was serving as the interim board chairman, would assume that position on a permanent basis as of January 1, 2015.

In February 2020, SAIC announced plans to acquire Unisys Federal, the company’s federal defense contracting operation, for $1.2 billion. The company’s federal customer list included over a dozen military and civilian agencies. As part of the acquisition, Unisys has a licensing agreement with SAIC to continue providing its software to federal clients.

In June 2020, Australia’s Home Affairs’ biometric identification system, built in part through partnership with Unisys, was launched.

Unisys made several acquisitions in 2021. In June, the company announced the acquisition of Unify Square, which provides software and services which help enterprises manage collaboration and communication platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. In November, Mobinergy, a mobile device management software company, was acquired; and in December, Unisys acquired CompuGain, an Amazon Web Services Advanced Consulting Partner.

In July 2021, Unisys partnered with Vodafone to help the company boost its IT services. The two launched “Vodafone Digital Factory,” and Unisys helped Vodafone clients with technologies like AI, virtual, and augmented reality, and blockchain.

In May 2022, the company joined the Plug and Play Enterprise Tech program. This allowed Unisys to source and partner with technology startups to access and use early-stage emerging technology.

On April 1, 2025, Michael M. Thomson, the company’s president and COO, assumed the position of CEO.

Recognition and awards

NelsonHall

* In 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023, Unisys was named a leader in the NelsonHall Evaluation & Assessment Tool (NEAT) Vendor Evaluation for Advanced Digital Workplace Services.
* In 2021 and 2023, Unisys was named a Leader in Cognitive and Self-Healing IT Infrastructure Services in NelsonHall's NEAT Assessment.
* In 2022 and 2024, Unisys was named a Leader in End-to-End Cloud Infrastructure Services in NelsonHall’s NEAT Assessment.
* In 2021 and 2024, Unisys was named a leader in the NEAT Cyber Resiliency Vendor Evaluation.

Avasant

* 2021 RadarView – Digital Workplace Services

Everest Group

* 2022 PEAK Matrix - Cloud Services, Major Contender - North America and Europe

Forbes

* In 2022, Unisys was named a Forbes’ Best Workplaces for Women.

Products and services

Unisys offers a range of IT services, including:

* Outsourced managed services
* Systems integration and consulting services
* Application management and device management software
* High end server technology
* Maintenance and support services
* Cybersecurity services
* Digital workplace services (DWS)
* Cloud and infrastructure services
* Enterprise computing services
* Business process services
* Field services and support

Unisys operates data centers around the world to support its service offerings.

Digital Workplace Services (DWS)

Digital workplace services deliver technologies focused on improving employee experience, collaboration, productivity, and end-to-end IT support. Unisys’ DWS capabilities include:

* Digital transformation consulting
* Workplace as a Service (WaaS)
* Intelligent workplace services
* Unified experience management
* Modern device management
* Seamless Collaboration
In 2021, Unisys acquired Unify Square - a company that helped others manage collaboration and communications platforms - and Mobinenergy - a unified endpoint management expert. These companies now operate as part of Unisys’ Digital Workplace Services business unit.

Cloud, Applications, and Infrastructure (CA & I)

Unisys’ CA&I segment provides: applications, cloud, cloud AI, cybersecurity, and data.

In 2020, California State University used Unisys’ CloudForte and Managed Security Services to integrate its hybrid-cloud environment.

After acquiring the company CompuGain, Unisys furthered its cloud capabilities, including hybrid cloud and cloud optimization, agile cloud migration, cloud-native capabilities, and data governance.

Cybersecurity

In November 2020, Unisys updated its Stealth platform to include visualization and dashboard tools to make it easier for an organization to track security in real-time. The new version made it possible for cybersecurity teams to see relationships between all network endpoints, including multiple clouds and edge computing platforms.

Enterprise Computing (ECS)

Enterprise computing refers to information technology tools used to implement, configure, maintain, and operate enterprise systems.

Unisys’ ECS offerings include:

* ClearPath: Provides secure, high-performance processing for business operations, optimizing mainframes, modernizing applications, and enabling cloud transitions
* License and support solutions
* Specialized services and next-generation computing
* Micro-market and business process solutions
* Financial services
* Travel and transportation

Unisys was the first to develop a server architecture that supported four operating environments to run simultaneously on the same computer system in a single virtualized partition.

In 2013, Unisys won a $650 million Enterprise Computing Center Support contract to support the computer systems used by the Internal Revenue Service.

Partnerships

Unisys’ partnerships include:

* VMware
* Oracle
* British Telecom
* Dell Technologies
* Amazon Web Services (AWS) MSP Partner and an AWS Government Competency
* Microsoft Azure Expert MSP partner and a Microsoft Gold Partner
* Global managed services partner to ServiceNow
* Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program as a Google Cloud and Google Workspace Resell Partner

Clients

Clients include Bank ABC, Hershey, the Bank of China, Somos, Henkel, Flowserve, The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), MASkargo (the cargo division of Malaysia Airlines), Nutreco, California State University (CSU), Air India, RAMS Home Loans, and the Georgia Technology Authority.

Unisys systems are used for many industrial and government purposes, including banking, check processing, income tax processing, airline passenger reservations, biometric identification, newspaper content management, and shipping port management, as well as providing weather data services.

Projects

Additional projects include the following:

Consumerization of IT

A study sponsored by Unisys and conducted by IDC revealed the gap between the activities and expectations of the new generation of "iWorkers" and the ability of organizations to support their needs. The results showed that organizations continue to work with standardized command and control IT models of the past and are not able to profit from the widespread use of newer networked technologies.

Cloud 20/20

Cloud 20/20 is an annual technical paper contest for tertiary students from India in October 2009. The contest allows students to explore the possibilities and complexities of cloud computing in areas such as automation, virtualization, application development, security, consumerization of IT and airports. The contest has drawn participation from universities across India, with over 570 institutes taking part in 2009 and more than a thousand in 2010. The contest culminates in an event where five finalists present their papers before a panel of judges that comprise academicians and technologists. Prizes include the latest technology gadgets, internship projects and career opportunities with Unisys.

People and Culture

Unisys earned a score of 100% on the 2021 Disability Equality Index. The company was recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion.” The Disability Equality Index is a joint initiative of Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities. It is a “comprehensive benchmarking tool to measure disability workplace inclusion.”

In November 2021, Unisys launched its UGrow program to help its employees grow internally. The program makes different courses available; each one focuses on skills needed by Unisys employees. Company employees also have access to Unisys University, which offers free certifications for over 100 different skills. A few examples include courses focused on management and team leadership skills, communication skills, and culture courses. The courses are organized around Unisys’ core business functions.

Supplier Diversity Program

Unisys has a supplier diversity program, which is a program that “encourages using companies owned by either minorities, veterans, women, or historically underutilized companies as suppliers.”

Carbon Footprint Reduction

In 2006, Unisys committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 75% by 2026. It achieved this five years early in 2021. A year later, the company announced a new goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The company also participates in the Carbon Disclosure Project and UN Global Compact.

Controversies

In 1987, Unisys was sued with Rockwell Shuttle Operations Company for $5.2 million by two former employees of the Unisys Corporation, one a subcontractor responsible for the computer programs for the space shuttle. The suit filed by Sylvia Robins, a former Unisys engineer, and Ria Solomon, who worked for Robins, charges that the two were forced from their jobs and harassed after complaining about safety violations and inflated costs.

Unisys overcharged the U.S. government and was found guilty of failure to supply adequate equipment in 1998. In 1998, Unisys Corporation agreed to pay the government $2.25 million to settle allegations that it supplied refurbished, rather than new, computer materials to several federal agencies in violation of the terms of its contract. Unisys admitted to supplying re-worked or refurbished computer components to various civilian and military agencies in the early 1990s, when the contract required the company to provide new equipment. The market price for the refurbished material was less than the price for new material which the government paid.

In 1998, Unisys was found guilty of price inflation and government contract fraud, with the company settling to avoid further prosecution. Lockheed Martin and Unisys paid the government $3.15 million to settle allegations that Unisys inflated the prices of spare parts sold to the U.S. Department of Commerce for its NEXRAD Doppler Radar System, in violation of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, et seq. " e settlement resolves allegations that Unisys knew that prices it paid Concurrent Computer Corporation for the spare parts were inflated when it passed on those prices to the government. Unisys had obtained price discounts from Concurrent on other items Unisys was purchasing from Concurrent at Unisys' own expense in exchange for agreeing to pay Concurrent the inflated prices".

In October 2005, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the company had allegedly overbilled on the $1-to-3-billion Transportation Security Administration contract for almost 171,000 hours of labor and overtime at up to the maximum rate of $131.13 per hour, including 24,983 hours not allowed by the contract. Unisys denied wrongdoing.

In 2006, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the FBI was investigating Unisys for alleged cybersecurity lapses under the company's contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A number of security lapses supposedly occurred during the contract, including incidents in which data was transmitted to Chinese servers. Unisys denies all charges and said it has documentation disproving the allegations.

In 2007, Unisys was found guilty of misrepresentation of retiree benefits. A federal judge in Pennsylvania ordered Unisys to reinstate within 60 days free lifetime retiree medical benefits to 12 former employees who were employed by a Unisys predecessor, the Burroughs Corporation. The judge ruled that Unisys "misrepresented the cost and duration of retiree medical benefits" at a time "trial plaintiffs were making retirement decisions" and while it was advising them about the benefits the company would provide during retirement.

Also in 2007, Unisys was found guilty of willful trademark infringement in ''Visible Systems v. Unisys'' (Trademark Infringement). Computer company Visible Systems prevailed over Unisys Corp. in a trademark infringement lawsuit filed in Massachusetts federal court. In November 2007, the court entered an injunction and final judgment ordering Unisys to discontinue its use of the "Visible" trademark, upholding the jury's award to Visible Systems of $250,000 in damages, and awarding an additional $17,555 in interest. Visible Systems claimed Unisys wrongfully used the name "Visible" in marketing its software and services. The jury found the infringement by Unisys was willful. Visible Systems appealed the final judgment, believing the court wrongly excluded the issues of bad faith and disgorgement of an estimated $17 billion in unjust profits from the consideration of the jury.

In 2010, Unisys Hungary terminated the local Workers' Union representative Gabor Pinter's employment contract with immediate effect for raising concerns about unpaid overtime and the company's non-respect of the health regulations in its local Shared Services Center. According to the 2012 verdict of the Labour Court of Budapest, Unisys acted illegally and was ordered to pay unpaid wages and benefits, legal costs, and three months' average salary as compensation.

See also

References

External links

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Business process outsourcing companies
1986 establishments in Pennsylvania
Companies based in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
Computer companies of the United States
American companies established in 1986
Consulting firms established in 1986
Computer companies established in 1986
Computer hardware companies
Computer systems companies
Information technology companies of the United States
Information technology consulting firms of the United States
Outsourcing companies
International information technology consulting firms
Technology companies established in 1986
Financial technology companies
Collaborative software
Cloud storage