Saperion

In 1985 in Berlin, Germany, long before the internet reshaped the business world, a company called Saperion was founded. The founders, including Herbert Lorch who would later become CEO, identified a growing, complex problem for large companies: managing the ever-increasing volume of information. They focused on what would become known as Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and Business Process Management (BPM). Their software created a central, digital archive for everything from invoices and emails to contracts, allowing businesses to retrieve and manage their critical documents efficiently. The company built a strong reputation in Europe, securing major clients like Lufthansa, Vodafone, and Siemens. Saperion's platform was designed to be robust and integrate with the major enterprise systems of the day, making it a key part of its customers' IT infrastructure. This strategy paid off as they grew into a significant player in the European software market. A pivotal moment arrived in August 2013 when Lexmark International, the American printer and imaging giant, announced it would acquire Saperion for approximately $72 million. The acquisition was part of Lexmark's broader strategy to shift from a hardware-focused company to one providing end-to-end business solutions. Saperion was integrated into Lexmark's Perceptive Software unit. The story took another turn in 2017, when Hyland Software, a leading content services provider, acquired the Perceptive business unit from Lexmark, bringing Saperion under its brand.