Gordon Thorne

I was invited to join Systematics International in January 1977 as its Technical Director by the then Managing Director, Ron Young. It was a small company specialising in statistical data exchanges and bureau operations. We also had a group of people that were solely employed to enter data on to punch cards – pieces of stiff paper that contained data for data processing applications – which were fed through the computer.

Although the company was small, we were creative, ambitious and keen to take advantage of the rapidly changing technological environment to provide a range of services to our clients. In conjunction with another company who worked on the same floor as us in Essex House, Basildon, we bought a main frame computer that had half a megabyte of memory, was about six feet high and had the footprint of a large desk and needed its own air-conditioned room. The holding company was named Internet Computer Services, a name that lapsed when Systematics bought out the other company rights. Imagine what value this would have brought with the launch of the worldwide web in the late 1980s!

In January 1982, Martyn Hodges was recruited to take up the role of Marketing Manager and went on to become a key member of the team; promoted to Marketing Director and eventually Managing Director.

By the late 1970s, the range of products and services offered by Systematics International had widened considerably.  Accounting packages were created for the APPLE II and other micros and in 1979, we were the first software company ever to advertise on television with the strap line ‘Systematics International – simply the best’.

The decision to split Systematics International into a group of companies was made in 1980. The two most significant branches were Systematics International Limited and Systematics International Microsystems Limited, with my time divided between these two branches, developing systems and programs.

Systematics International continued to expand in its own right until 1985 when the EEC Competition Directorate arrived unannounced one morning to begin its investigation into the data exchanges operated by Systematics International. This investigation was not concluded until 1999, but within three years of its inception, many activities relating to the data exchanges were ceased pending a conclusion. This was a massive concern, as much of the company’s regular income was lost, hundreds of computer programs had to be changed to address disclosure of competitive brand data, and in a period of greater uncertainty, we had to turn our thoughts to greater diversification.

In 1987, Systematics International was sold to Metal Bulletin Plc and I stayed on as the Managing Director. In 1993, we relocated from Basildon to Billericay where we were able to expand the business model to offer services such as photocopying and other computer services to surrounding local businesses. The activity of the data exchanges continued to operate, albeit at much reduced levels throughout.

I left Systematics International in 1996, transferring to Metal Bulletin Plc’s head office and then retired in October 2006.

As part owner of Systematics International in 1977, I had been with the company for almost twenty years; the happiest and most creative years of my working life. I have many happy memories of the achievements, ups and downs, camaraderie and loyalty of many devoted staff and relationships with many clients; one of whom was Christine Bhatt who worked at Case IH.

I know that since my days with Systematics International, the exchanges and research have blossomed under Christine and Manuel Bhatt and I am absolutely confident that it continues to be in very safe hands.

Helen Thorne commented on the professionalism and warm welcome received from the team at Systematics which was very much part of the company values and ethos during their time with the company.