Library Technology Guides

Documents, Databases, News, and Commentary



DateEvent
Sep 30, 2020

Solus UK acquires Boopsie Mobile App Division from Demco, Inc

Solus UK announced it has acquired the Boopsie mobile app and customer base from Demco, Inc. All Boopsie customers will be migrated to the latest Solus Library App at no additional cost to their existing subscription.

Company: [Solus] [Demco]

Jun 11, 2020

Demco appoints Chad Edwards as President

ChampionScott Partners is pleased to announce the appointment of Chad Edwards as President of Demco, Inc., a Wall Family Enterprise subsidiary and provider of product and service solutions to schools, libraries and commercial enterprise libraries. Chad brings over 20 years of education technology and services industry leadership experience to Demco.

Company: [Demco]

Dec 10, 2018

Sean Ryan appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Wall Family Enterprise

Wall Family Enterprise announced the appointment of Sean Ryan as chief executive officer. He began leading the organization's portfolio of global businesses serving schools and libraries on December 10, 2018.

Company: [Wall Family Enterprise] [Demco]

Jan 2017

Demco, Inc. launches Demco Software

Demco announced the launch of Demco Software, a new division that offers mobile apps, programming resources and management tools

Company: [Demco]

Oct 1, 2015

Demco acquires Boopsie

Demco, Inc., a leading library supplier, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Boopsie, the leading mobile platform-as-a-service provider for libraries worldwide.

Company: [Demco] [Boopsie]

Apr 11, 2011

Demco acquires Evanced Solutions

DEMCO announced the acquisition of Evanced Solutions, a market leader in developing and distributing solutions allowing libraries to web-enable their services and streamline day-to-day management tasks.

Company: [Demco] [Evanced Solutions]

2011

MaudeSport joins Wall Family Enterprise

In 2011 Maudesport joined the Wall Family Enterprise Group.

Company: [Wall Family Enterprise] [Demco]

Dec 20, 2010

DEMCO acquires Highsmith from Grainger Inc.

DEMCO has acquired the assets of Highsmith, an award-winning educational products and library supplier, from W.W. Grainger Inc, the leading broad-line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products serving business and institutions.

Company: [Demco] [Highsmith]

Aug 24, 2009

Demco Europe acquires Timstar Laboratory Suppliers

Crewe-based Timstar Laboratory Suppliers has been sold to Demco Europe, a UK subsidiary of the US-based Wall Family Enterprise. The company, which is owned by husband-and-wife team Tim and Sue Wilton-Morgan, last year generated pre-tax profits in excess of £300,000 on revenues of £4.7m. The deal will enable Tim, who established the business in 1970, to retire. BCMS advised.

Company: [Demco]

May 31, 2007

Wall Family Enterprise acquires Hatch

Wall Family Enterprise,has acquired Hatch, Inc. located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hatch is a leading supplier providing technology and classroom material solutions to the early childhood market.

Company: [Demco] [Wall Family Enterprise]

Mar 2006

Sagebrush Educational Resources acquires Turtleback Books

Sagebrush Educational Resources acquires Turtleback Books from Demco Media.

Company: [Sagebrush Corporation] [Demco]

2006

Boopsie founded by Greg Carpenter and Tim Kay

Boopsie founded by Greg Carpenter and Tim Kay

Company: [Demco] [Boopsie]

2005

Wall Family Enterprise acquires Technology Supplies Limited

Wall Family Enterprise acquires Technology Supplies Limited

Company: [Wall Family Enterprise] [Demco]

May 20, 2003

Gaylord Information Systems renamed GIS Information Systems

Gaylord Information Systems announced that the name of the company has been changed to GIS Information Systems, Inc. This change follows on the announcement that DEMCO, Inc. has acquired the Gaylord library supplies and furniture division of Gaylord Bros., Inc. from the Croydon Company. Croydon, which has owned Gaylord Bros. for more than thirty years, will continue to own GIS Information Systems, Inc.

Company: [Polaris Library Systems] [Demco]

May 1, 2003

Croydon Company sells Gaylord Bros to Demco, retains ownership of Gaylord Information Systems

Gaylord Information Systems, a leader in library automation with its Polaris and GALAXY integrated library systems, announced today that the name of the company has been changed to GIS Information Systems, Inc. This change follows on the announcement that DEMCO, Inc. has ac

Company: [Polaris Library Systems] [Demco]

Jun 2001

Demco acquires remainder of LFC from founder Trevor Taylor

Demco acquires remainder of LFC from founder Trevor Taylor

Company: [Demco]

2001

Wall Family Enterprise acquires Don Gresswell Company, Ltd

Wall Family Enterprise acquires Don Gresswell Company, Ltd

Company: [Demco] [Wall Family Enterprise]

Jan 2000

Evanced Solutions founded by Todd Cutler and Rob Cullin

Evanced Solutions founded by Todd Cutler and Rob Cullin

Company: [Evanced Solutions] [Demco]

1998

Ed Muir is appointed as president of DEMCO

Ed Muir is appointed as president of DEMCO

Company: [Demco]

1993

DEMCO acqires 75 percent equity of Library Furnishing Consultants

In 1993, DEMCO expanded internationally by acquiring Library Furnishing Consultants, a British company that supplied shelving and other furniture items to libraries. Trevor Taylor, founder of LFC, sold seventy-five percent of LFC to DEMCO Inc

Company: [Demco]

1991

Bill Stroner is named president of DEMCO.

Company: [Demco]

1991

Maudesport founded

Maudesport founded

Company: [Wall Family Enterprise] [Demco]

Mar 1989

Greg M. Larson is named president, and John Wall becomes chairman and CEO.

In March 1989, DEMCO announced that Greg M. Larson was its new president. With Larson's appointment, Wall became the company's chairman and CEO. Larson, who had served DEMCO for five years as vice-president of marketing, earned an undergraduate business degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1972, followed by an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1981.

Company: [Demco]

1986

Technology Supplies Limited founded by Michael Roberts and Roger Weeks

Technology Supplies Limited was launched in 1986 by Design & Technology teachers Michael Roberts and Roger Weeks who founded the company to supply products to schools to meet the needs of a developing design & technology curriculum.

Company: [Demco] [Wall Family Enterprise]

1984

Hatch Early Learning founded

Hatch Early Learning founded

Company: [Demco] [Wall Family Enterprise]

1978

President John Wall leads a successful leveraged buyout of DEMCO.

"An important development occurred in 1978, when an Alabama firm offered to buy DEMCO from Banta. Along with William Erickson, vice-president of operations; Greg Larson, vice-president of marketing; and Lawrence Sobyak, vice-president of finance, President John Wall made a successful counteroffer and purchased DEMCO. However, significant challenges remained. These included a loan that carried an interest rate of 25 percent, as well as a debt-to-equity ratio of 11 to 1. DEMCO's Alesco subsidiary also was struggling financially. In the May 1993 issue of In Business, Wall said: "There were 24 people at the closing downtown, including all the vice-presidents from Banta, and they were saying, sotto voce, down at the end of the table, 'They'll never make it. They'll go bankrupt in six months.'" Although the buyout put a strain on DEMCO's resources until the mid- to late 1980s, Wall and his executive team were successful in keeping the company afloat and guiding it to more prosperous times."

Company: [Demco]

1972

Norman Bassett retires as DEMCO chairman

Company: [Demco]

1972

DEMCO becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Menasha, Wisconsin-based George Banta Co., Inc.

In 1972, Norman Bassett retired as chairman, and the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Menasha, Wisconsin-based George Banta Co., Inc., one of the nation's leading printers of educational materials. DEMCO's sales for fiscal year 1971 totaled $5.8 million, while the larger Banta had recorded sales of nearly $40 million in the first three quarters of calendar year 1971.

Company: [Demco]

1970

Timstar Laboratory Suppliers founded by Tim Wilton-Morgan

Timstar Laboratory Suppliers founded by Tim Wilton-Morgan

Company: [Demco] [Wall Family Enterprise]

1968

John E. Wall is named president of Demco

One of the most important developments in DEMCO's history occurred in 1968, when John E. Wall was named president. He would provide valuable leadership to the company for many years. Born in Chicago on April 17, 1926, Wall served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps during World War II and earned an undergraduate philosophy degree from Xavier University in 1950. His professional management career began that same year at Inland Steel Co. in Indiana Harbor, Indiana. Wall's career path then took him to a number of manufacturing firms in the Chicago area, including Cook Electric. After joining DEMCO, Wall invigorated the company in a number of ways. Despite a burgeoning education market during the 1960s, DEMCO's growth had been sluggish because of a culture that downplayed risk taking. According to the May 1993 issue of In Business, Wall "wandered around, asked people questions, and gave them the go-ahead to try new ideas. He had employee luncheons and set up quarterly 'state-of-the-company' meetings with managers and year-end meetings with all employees. Another step Wall took early on was to set up a board of outside directors."

Company: [Demco]

1965

Demco establishes a warehouse and production facility in DeForest, Wisconsin.

In 1965, DEMCO obtained what eventually would grow into a 176,000-square-foot warehouse and production facility in DeForest, Wisconsin.

Company: [Demco]

1931

Norman D. (Smiley) Bassett purchases DEMCO.

Norman D. (Smiley) Bassett, who purchased DEMCO in 1931, has been credited as DEMCO's founding father. Born in Minneapolis on Nicolet Island, Bassett graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1914 after attending the Jefferson School in Charlottesville, Virginia, and New Jersey's Lawrenceville Preparatory School. He served in the U.S. Navy and Air Corps during World War I and then pursued a successful business career. After buying the DEMCO division from Democrat Printing, Bassett established it as an independent enterprise, and the former parent company reorganized as Webcrafters, Inc. As DEMCO's president and chairman, Bassett led the company for many years.

Company: [Demco]

1905

DEMCO is established as a division of the Democrat Printing Co.

DEMCO's roots stretch back to 1905, when the company was a division of the Democrat Printing Co. At that time, its primary role was printing forms for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Library.

Company: [Demco]