Infor, the global ERP vendor first founded in 2002 has a surprisingly long legacy for a 22 year old company.
Infor’s story begins in the early 2000s, when the company, originally named Agilisys, was founded by Jim Schaper in Malvern, Pennsylvania. At the time, Agilisys focused on providing enterprise solutions to niche markets, such as industrial manufacturing. However, Schaper and his team saw a larger opportunity in the fragmented ERP market, where numerous companies provided solutions that were either outdated or too industry-specific to scale. This became Infor’s key differentiator over the next two decades.
The company’s first major acquisition came in 2003, when Agilisys purchased Infor Business Solutions, a German ERP software provider, and adopted the name Infor Global Solutions. This was a pivotal move, allowing Infor to expand its customer base and establish a stronger foothold in the global ERP market.
From there, Infor’s growth strategy became clear: acquire companies with specialized ERP solutions, integrate their offerings, and expand into new industries. The company would go on to make over 40 acquisitions between 2002 and 2010, rapidly broadening its product portfolio and entering sectors like healthcare, retail, distribution, and manufacturing.
The Oracle Playbook: Building a Diverse ERP Portfolio
By the mid-2000s, Infor had established itself as a major player in the ERP space through a series of high-profile acquisitions. Led by previous Oracle President Charles Phillips, Infor made a number of acquisitions Key acquisitions during this period including:
- MAPICS (2005): Infor acquired MAPICS, an ERP system focused on manufacturing, particularly for IBM iSeries platforms. This acquisition strengthened Infor’s manufacturing expertise.
- SSA Global (2006): One of Infor’s largest deals, the acquisition of SSA Global brought several well-established ERP brands, such as Baan and BPCS, under Infor’s umbrella. This move dramatically increased Infor’s market share and customer base, making it one of the largest ERP vendors globally.
- Lawson Software (2011): Infor’s purchase of Lawson was a strategic move to enter the healthcare and public sector markets. Lawson was a well-known provider of ERP solutions for healthcare organizations, and its acquisition allowed Infor to cater to a new range of industries.
Throughout this period, Infor focused on integrating the acquired systems into a cohesive product lineup, rebranding and repurposing them for different industries. Following the Oracle playbook these solutions were rebranded, renamed and had an Infor logo slapped on them, while architecturally remaining the same. This approach allowed Infor to offer industry-specific ERP solutions, differentiating it from competitors like SAP and Oracle, who often took a more generalized approach to ERP software. While this approach seemed sound, it created a huge amount of duplication, and often resulted in Infor having multiple products for the same function or industry which made sales and marketing increasingly hard.
Cloud Transition and the Rise of Infor CloudSuite
As the software industry began shifting towards cloud-based solutions in the 2010s, Infor recognized the need to modernize its portfolio. In 2014, the company launched Infor CloudSuite, a suite of cloud-based ERP solutions tailored to specific industries. This move was driven by the realization that on-premise software was becoming less attractive to companies looking for more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions.
Infor CloudSuite was designed to provide industry-specific functionality, something that had long been a key differentiator for Infor. By offering cloud-based ERP systems that catered to sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and food & beverage, Infor positioned itself as a leader in cloud ERP for specialized industries.
During this time, Infor also heavily invested in its Infor Xi technology stack, which included artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and analytics tools designed to enhance the functionality of its cloud ERP offerings. This investment reflected the company’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve in terms of innovation and customer demands.
The Koch Industries Era: A New Chapter
In 2020, Infor entered a new chapter when Koch Industries, one of the largest privately held companies in the world, acquired the remaining shares of the company. Koch had initially invested in Infor in 2017, and by 2020, it fully owned the company. This acquisition provided Infor with significant financial backing and resources to continue its growth and innovation in the enterprise software space.
Under Koch Industries, Infor has maintained its focus on cloud-based ERP solutions, expanding its product offerings and enhancing its artificial intelligence and analytics capabilities. The partnership also enabled Infor to leverage Koch’s vast industry expertise, particularly in sectors like manufacturing and energy, further solidifying its presence in those areas.
