ErgoGroup

ErgoGroup was a Norwegian information-technology services company and systems integrator headquartered in Oslo. It operated as a subsidiary of Posten Norge, Norway’s postal service, and served public- and private-sector customers across Norway and the wider Nordic region. Its activities covered outsourced IT operations, infrastructure, communications, software and business solutions, consulting, regional technology services, and related digital transaction services. The company originated in 1972 as Statens Driftssentral for administrativ databehandling, a government agency responsible for operational IT services. In 1985, it was reorganized as a limited company under the name Statens Datasentral AS and remained owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Government Administration. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, it expanded through acquisitions including TF Data, Oslo Data, and Statdata. Posten Norge acquired the business in 1995, after which it operated as Posten SDS. The company adopted the ErgoGroup name in 2001. ErgoGroup pursued an acquisition-led expansion strategy during the 2000s as the Nordic information-and-communications-technology market underwent consolidation. It acquired the outsourcing division of Ementor in 2005 and added Nor-Cargo Data, AddIQ, Fujitsu Services Norway, SYSteam, and Allianse in 2006. In 2007, it acquired a 75 percent interest in Bekk Consulting, a Norwegian consultancy specializing in organizational and process development, professional-system modernization, portals, self-service solutions, and custom business applications. ErgoGroup also held interests in or had relationships with companies including SYSteam, TransWare, Gecko, Eiendomsverdi, Buypass, Eye-Share, and Bekk Consulting. Its Norwegian operations were organized into several principal areas. IT Operations handled outsourcing for major accounts, communications services, cloud computing, software as a service, networking, virtualization, security, monitoring, and shared operating platforms. Solutions supplied software and sector-specific services involving financial management, corporate performance management, portals, case and document handling, process optimization, systems development, architecture, integration, electronic transactions, and information databases. Regional Services delivered infrastructure, collaboration, unified communications, enterprise content management, enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, mobile solutions, service-oriented architecture, and related services outside the largest urban centers. The company also maintained Nordic activities and the Bekk Consulting business. In 2010, ErgoGroup entered strategic discussions with EDB Business Partner, then associated with Telenor. The two companies formally announced their merger in June 2010. The combination brought together two of Norway’s largest IT companies and created EVRY, ending ErgoGroup’s independent corporate existence. The Wikipedia subject ErgoGroup therefore refers to the Norwegian IT company, not the German insurance group ERGO Group AG.

ErgoGroup’s roots lay in Norway’s public administration. In 1972, the government established Statens Driftssentral for administrativ databehandling to provide operational services for administrative information technology. The organization was converted into a limited company in 1985 and renamed Statens Datasentral AS. It remained under the ownership of Norway’s Ministry of Government Administration during this phase. The business expanded its operating base through a series of acquisitions. TF Data was acquired in 1989, followed by Oslo Data in 1991 and Statdata in 1993. In 1995, Posten Norge, the Norwegian postal service, acquired the company and renamed it Posten SDS. The change placed the IT provider within a broader postal and state-owned corporate structure. In 2001, the business adopted the ErgoGroup name. During the 2000s, ErgoGroup developed from a government-related data-processing organization into a broad Nordic IT services group. Its growth reflected increasing demand for outsourced infrastructure, standardized operating platforms, managed communications, software integration, and specialist business consulting. In 2005, it acquired the outsourcing division of Ementor. In 2006, it expanded further through acquisitions involving Nor-Cargo Data, AddIQ, Fujitsu Services Norway, SYSteam, and Allianse. These transactions strengthened its capabilities in outsourcing, infrastructure, applications, regional delivery, and consulting. ErgoGroup also used partial ownership and investments to broaden its service ecosystem. Companies associated with the group included SYSteam, TransWare, Gecko, Eiendomsverdi, Buypass, Eye-Share, and Bekk Consulting. In 2007, ErgoGroup acquired 75 percent of Bekk Consulting and held options connected with the remaining ownership. Bekk supplied consulting, development, and management services in areas such as organizational and process change, modernization of professional systems, portals, self-service systems, and customized applications. The company organized its Norwegian activities into IT Operations, Solutions, Regional Services, Nordic Region, and Bekk Consulting. IT Operations focused on outsourcing contracts for major customers and also covered communications, cloud services, software as a service, networks, virtualization, security, and IT monitoring. Solutions addressed software and business-sector requirements, including finance, corporate performance management, portals, document and case handling, process improvement, development, architecture, integration, electronic transactions, and databases. Regional Services supported customers outside the largest cities with infrastructure, collaboration, unified communications, enterprise content management, enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, mobile solutions, and related architecture and operational services. ErgoGroup promoted its expertise through activities such as IT-tinget, an annual two-day IT conference. The 2007 event reportedly attracted nearly 600 participants and included speakers from politics, business, technology, and elite sport. The company’s final major corporate development was its combination with EDB Business Partner. Strategic discussions began in 2010, and the merger was formally announced on June 7 of that year. The transaction created EVRY, ending ErgoGroup as a standalone company.

1. 2010Merged with EDB Business Partner to form EVRY

   Following strategic discussions, ErgoGroup and EDB Business Partner announced a merger that created EVRY and ended ErgoGroup’s independent existence.

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2. 2007Took majority stake in Bekk Consulting

   ErgoGroup acquired 75 percent of Bekk Consulting and gained options related to the remaining interest.

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3. 2006Major acquisition expansion

   The company acquired or added interests involving Nor-Cargo Data, AddIQ, Fujitsu Services Norway, SYSteam, and Allianse.

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4. 2005Acquired Ementor outsourcing division

   ErgoGroup purchased Ementor’s outsourcing division, reinforcing its managed-services business.

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5. 2001Renamed ErgoGroup

   The Posten-owned IT business adopted the ErgoGroup name.

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6. 1995Acquired by Posten Norge

   Norway’s postal service acquired the company, which subsequently operated under the name Posten SDS.

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7. 1993Acquisition of Statdata

   Statdata was acquired before the business entered the Posten Norge group.

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8. 1991Acquisition of Oslo Data

   The company acquired Oslo Data as part of its early expansion.

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9. 1989Acquisition of TF Data

   Statens Datasentral expanded through the acquisition of TF Data.

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10. 1985Converted into Statens Datasentral AS

    The organization became a limited company and adopted the name Statens Datasentral AS while remaining under government ownership.

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11. 1972Government IT operations agency established

    Statens Driftssentral for administrativ databehandling was founded to perform operational information-technology services for Norwegian administrative activities.

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Nordic business-to-business IT operations, systems integration, outsourcing, infrastructure, and consulting provider

• IT OperationsManaged IT services

  ErgoGroup’s IT Operations business served major accounts through outsourcing and managed-service contracts. Its scope included communications services, cloud computing, software as a service, network solutions, virtualization, security, monitoring, and common operating platforms used across the group.

• SolutionsBusiness software and systems integration

  The Solutions area delivered software, integration, and sector-specific services for public- and private-sector customers. Its capabilities included finance and corporate performance management, portals, case and document handling, business consultancy, process optimization, development, architecture, electronic transactions, and information databases.

• Regional ServicesRegional IT services

  Regional Services supported smaller businesses and customers outside Norway’s largest cities and regional centers. Offerings included IT infrastructure, electronic collaboration, unified communications, portals, enterprise content management, enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, mobile solutions, service-oriented architecture, and IT infrastructure management.

• Bekk ConsultingIT consulting2007

  Bekk Consulting was a Norwegian consultancy in which ErgoGroup acquired a 75 percent interest in 2007. Its services covered process and organizational development, modernization of professional systems, portal and self-service solutions, and customized business applications.

• 2007IT-tinget

  Norway

  ErgoGroup organized IT-tinget, an annual two-day information-technology conference. The 2007 event reportedly drew almost 600 participants and featured speakers including former Swedish prime minister Göran Persson, business author Jonas Ridderstråle, technology entrepreneur Shahzad Rana, and Olympic alpine champion Kjetil André Aamodt.

  Outcome. The conference served as a customer, industry, and thought-leadership event.

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• 2010Merger with EDB Business PartnerM&A

  ErgoGroup and EDB Business Partner entered strategic discussions as the Nordic IT industry continued to consolidate and customers sought larger, more comprehensive providers.

  What changed. The companies announced their merger in June 2010, creating EVRY.

  Aftermath. ErgoGroup ceased to exist as an independent company and its operations became part of EVRY.

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• 2007Majority acquisition of Bekk ConsultingM&A

  ErgoGroup was expanding its consulting and business-solutions capabilities during a period of consolidation in the Nordic IT sector.

  What changed. The company acquired 75 percent of Bekk Consulting and obtained options associated with the remaining 25 percent.

  Aftermath. Bekk Consulting became part of ErgoGroup’s broader service portfolio, supplying consulting, development, and management expertise.

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• 2010ErgoGroup and EDB Business Partner announce merger

  ErgoGroup and EDB Business Partner entered strategic discussions and subsequently announced a merger that combined two of Norway’s largest IT companies.

  M&A
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1. ErgoGroup