Today in Philly Tech History 5/1/2000: Siemens agrees to acquire Malvern-based Shared Medical Systems for $2.1 billion

Tom Paine

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On May 1, 2000, Siemens announced it had agreed to acquire Malvern-based Shared Medical Systems for $2.1 billion. The price per share of $73 was a 76 percent premium to SMS's closing share price of $41.44 on the previous trading day. SMS had turned down an unsolicated offer of $67 per share from Eclipsys Corp in March.

One of the leading providers of information systems to hospitals, Shared Medical at the time had annual revenues of $1.2 billion. But it was facing difficulties, resulting partially from the ending of the Y2K conversion cycle and the rise of Web-based technologies. Founded in 1969, SMS had 7,600 employees worldwide and 3,850 in Chester County, the Inquirer reported when the acquisition was announced. Later that year Shared Medical would cut 8% of its staff, including 300 in Malvern.

What was Shared Medical is now essentially the Health Services Business Unit of Siemens Healthcare and has over 4500 employees, according to Siemens' website. Although still a major player, like several "legacy vendors" it has had difficulty keeping pace with some newer competitors, especially industry giant Epic and other smaller upstarts.

Malvern is still the headquarters for the Health Services Business Unit, as well as for all of Siemens Medical Solutions USA.




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Microsoft Technology Centers, Smart Technologies kick off partnership, US rollout of interactive whiteboards in Malvern

Tom Paine

Calgary-based SMART Technologies, Inc., a leader in the interactive whiteboard market, used the Microsoft Technology Center in Malvern to announce yesterday it had become a Global Technology Partner in the Microsoft Technology Center (MTC) Alliances Program, and would be installing its products in all 11 U.S. centers by the end of 2012, beginning with Malvern. It already has installations at several MTC locations internationally.

Each center will have a variety of SMART products, including interactive whiteboards, interactive displays, interactive pen displays, SMART Meeting Pro™ software and Bridgit® conferencing software. Chuck McCann, Director, Worldwide MTC Alliance Program, in a statement cited reduced travel expenses and increased collaboration as being among the benefits gained from using SMART Technologies products.

The event featured a presentation by Bill Emmert, Technical Director/Technology Architect, Microsoft
Technology Center, and John Friscia of SMART Technologies, and a tour of the facilities. During the tour, a SMART spokesperson tells me, Emmert commented that people within the Center fight for the rooms with SMART Boards because they enjoy using the product, it wows customers, and is much more efficient than the regular white erase board because they can save files on a USB and send customers off with it.

SMART says it has the leading share in the interactive whiteboard market in the US. It becomes one of 11 Global Technology Partners in the MTC Alliances Program.

MTC describes its purpose as providing environments and state of the art technology tools to enable world class learning and development experiences. The Malvern, Pennsylvania center opened in March of last year.

SMART Technologies' press release.