How a 19th-century typewriter maker evolved into a global computing giant

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Long before the era of cloud computing and artificial intelligence, the roots of Unisys began with the QWERTY keyboard. From the 1873 origins of E. Remington & Sons to a massive $4.8 billion merger, discover how a legacy of mechanical innovation transformed into a modern digital powerhouse.

The lineage of Unisys is a study in industrial evolution. While the modern corporation was formed in 1986, its DNA stretches back to 1873 with E. Remington & Sons, the company responsible for introducing the first commercially viable typewriter to utilize the QWERTY keyboard layout. This legacy of hardware innovation eventually led to the 1986 merger between two mainframe giants, Sperry and Burroughs. In this landmark deal, Burroughs acquired Sperry for $4.8 billion, creating what was then the largest merger in the computer industry and establishing Unisys as the second-largest player in the field with annual revenues of $10.5 billion.

The identity of the new firm was forged through internal democratic engagement. When the company sought a new name, Christian Machen won an internal competition by submitting 'Unisys'—a portmanteau derived from the words 'united', 'information', and 'systems'. This rebranding coincided with a period of significant leadership transitions, beginning with CEO W. Michael Blumenthal and moving through executives like James Unruh and Larry Weinbach.

As the market for proprietary mainframe systems declined, Unisys demonstrated strategic agility. Rather than clinging to a fading era, the company pivoted toward high-end servers, 32-bit Windows Servers, and specialized IT services like systems integration and outsourcing. This adaptability has allowed them to navigate various market shifts, including the 2008 removal from the S&P 500 after market capitalization fell below $4 billion. Today, the company continues to expand through targeted acquisitions in areas like cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital workplace services, maintaining a presence in everything from federal defense contracting to global biometric identification systems.

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