Sterling Commerce


Sterling Commerce was a software and services company providing Omni-Channel Commerce, B2B including Electronic data interchange translation software and one of the first B2B Integration platforms and managed file transfer products such as Connect:Direct. Sterling Commerce was headquartered near Columbus, Ohio in Dublin, Ohio. SBC Communications acquired Sterling Commerce, then SBC merged with AT&T, who sold Sterling Commerce to IBM. Sterling Commerce's Columbus, Ohio campus is now an IBM facility.

Previous acquisitions

  • In September, 2003, Sterling Commerce divests its Banking Systems Division to Thoma Cresse Equity Partners who in turn launch VectorSGI in the banking industry
  • In April, 2004, Sterling Commerce acquired TR2, a Boston Based Data Synchronization Software Company
  • In January, 2005, Sterling Commerce acquired Yantra a provider of Distributed Order Management and Warehouse Systems as part of its cross-channel supply chain execution application strategy.
  • In May, 2006, Sterling Commerce acquired Nistevo, a provider of on-demand transportation management products as part of its cross-channel supply chain execution application strategy.
  • In November, 2006, Sterling Commerce acquired Comergent, a provider of Advanced Web Selling for B2B and B2C platforms as part of its cross-channel supply chain execution application strategy.

Ownership

  • Sterling Commerce evolved from a company called OrderNet which was one of the first EDI-based Value Added Network companies found by William Plumb which started around 1978 and was a division of Informatics, Inc. William Plumb is often cited as one of the fathers of EDI.
  • In June, 1985, Sterling Software, a public company chaired by Samuel E. Wyly, made a successful tender offer for Informatics and acquired the company. Sterling Software was about 10% of the size of Informatics. Through the integration, the company sold off several divisions of Informatics but kept and invested in OrderNet, renaming it Sterling Commerce.
  • SBC Communications purchased Sterling Commerce in 2000.
  • With the merger of AT&T Corp. and SBC Communications in November 2005, Sterling Commerce became an AT&T company.
  • In May 2010 IBM acquired Sterling Commerce from AT&T.