Volt Information Sciences history

Volt also started a school at its New York City headquarters in 1966 to teach computer programming and operation.

The Vietnam War further stimulated business; during fiscal 1968 revenues reached $39.8 million and net income, $2.1 million.

During 1971-72 Volt acquired Autologic's parent, Alphanumeric Publication Systems, Inc., which included another subsidiary engaged in the manufacture and sale of these typesetters and in other computer services.

The first long-term contract for these services was signed in 1978.

In 1980 Autologic introduced APS-Micro 5, a high-speed digital typesetter aimed at the mid-range market with a selling price of less than $50,000.

After three profitable years, Volt lost $1.9 million in fiscal 1990 because of a variety of problems, including military cutbacks following the end of the cold war and cost overruns on contracts associated with entering new markets.

On the favorable side, Autologic returned to profitability, recording a fat $10.5 million profit in fiscal 1991 on only 12 percent of the parent company's sales.

By 1994 Volt had a licensing partnership with Bolt, Beranek & Newman Inc., a supplier of speech recognition technology, that allowed a computer to respond to spoken words--such as locations and company names--without human assistance on Volt's automated systems.

In 1995 Volt merged Autologic with a competitor, Information International, Inc., and spun off the new unit, retaining 59 percent of the business.