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Insight Enterprises company history timeline

1988

In 1988, Tim and Eric Crown began their story in this fashion.

Hard Drives International was founded in 1988 by Eric and Tim Crown.

1991

In 1991, the company changed its name to Insight Enterprises, and distribution included a full line of computers and accessories.

1992

By 1992, Insight spent $1.5 million each month on ads in print media.

1993

In 1993 the company added catalogs to market more than 20,000 computer-related products, including hard drives, CD-ROM drives, and software.

Insight also first offered outsourcing services to leading manufacturers such as Toshiba, AST, Samsung, Conner Peripherals, and Motorola in 1993.

1995

By 1995, 12.2 percent of Insight's sales came from its outsourcing activity.

Insight also became a publicly traded company on NASDAQ in 1995.

Insight also signed a letter of intent to purchase ANDATACO, a San Diego-based system and network marketer for the UNIX client/server market, for approximately $16.8 million in late 1995.

1996

Insight broke ground for a new headquarters for its corporate and sales staff in Tempe, Arizona, in January 1996.

Eric Crown told Success magazine in November 1996 that "we're up to 50,000 accesses per day on our Web site.

Dan Sager, senior vice-president of marketing for Insight, revealed: "Most computer catalogs are segmented by product category, such as Apple, PCs or UNIX. But this spin-off focuses on the target customer rather than the product." Insight expected to mail up to 12 million catalogs in 1996.

In 1996 Dataquest, a research firm, predicted that the demand for home personal computers would slow while the small and mid-size business computer market would grow.

According to the 1996 annual report, "Historically, these have been Insight's best customers, and they represent the largest, most attractive segment of the computer direct marketing industry.

Though catalog circulation doubled in 1996, Insight expects that it will decrease in coming years as the company begins to target its best prospective customers and focus on existing customers.

1997

Insight became an international company when it acquired TC Computers, based in Montreal, Canada, in 1997.

1998

In April 1998, Insight signed an agreement to acquire Choice Peripherals Ltd. and Plusnet Technologies Ltd., an Internet service provider and website hosting and development company operating as Force 9.

2000

They borrowed $2000 on a credit card, rented 100 square feet of office space, and bought an ad in Computer Shopper magazine selling hard drives.

2001

Insight acquired Action Computer Supplies Holdings PLC, a U.K.-based direct marketer, in October 2001 for approximately $150 million in stock.

2002

In April 2002, the company acquired Comark for $150 million, increasing Insight's ability to work with clients of all sizes, including the public sector.

2006

In July 2006, Insight entered an agreement to purchase Software Spectrum, a company that focused on software and mobility products for medium and large companies, from Level 3 Communications for $287 million.

2008

Insight acquired U.K.-based Minx Ltd., a European network integrator with Cisco Gold Partner accreditation, in July 2008 for $1.5 million and the assumption of $4.6 million of existing debt.

2012

Insight acquired Inmac Gmbh, a business-to-business hardware reseller based in Germany, in February 2012.

2015

The company launched a new website in July 2015 as part of the shift in company focus.

In October 2015, Insight acquired BlueMetal, an interactive design and technology architecture firm based in Boston.

Also in 2015, Insight raised $200,000 in its annual campaign for its Noble Cause division.

2016

Insight opened an additional sales center at the Meadows Office and Technological Park in Conway, Arkansas in August 2016.

In November 2016, Insight Enterprises announced that they were acquiring the Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based data center services and solutions company, Datalink for $11.25 per share in cash, but that the company would remain mostly the same.

In 2016, BlueMetal partnered with INDYCAR, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Microsoft to produce an analytics focused app during the Indianapolis 500.

2017

In September 2017, Insight announced that they acquired Dutch cloud service provider Caase.com.

The $258 million deal closed in the first quarter of 2017 and allowed Insight Enterprises to enhance its data center services.

2018

In August 2018 Insight announced the acquisition of Cardinal Solutions, a national provider of digital solutions across mobile, web, analytics and cloud.

2019

In August 2019, Insight Enterprises announced the acquisition of PCM, Inc., a global provider of IT products and services, expanding Insight’s operations in the US, Canada and the UK.

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Founded
1988
Company founded
Headquarters
Tempe, AZ
Company headquarter
Founders
Timothy A. Crown,Eric Crown,Brian Schuliger
Company founders
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Insight Enterprises may also be known as or be related to INSIGHT ENTERPRISES INC, Insight, Insight Enterprises, Insight Enterprises Inc and Insight Enterprises, Inc.