OGL memory lane

1970s

OGL, then known as Oliquip, started out by selling and maintaining Olivetti electric typewriters in 1976. This was an era of technological innovation and the Company soon had an exciting portfolio of products to supply and support, including the world’s first electronic typewriter, launched by Olivetti in 1978. The late seventies also saw OGL’s introduction to computer programming with a basic ledger card accounting machine programmed in binary code.

1980s

The first PCs made centre stage and OGL were at the forefront selling the Olivetti M20 with twin floppy disks in 1982. This model had moderate success as it had its own unique operating system. The real winner was the M24, launched in 1984, which ran an early version of MSDOS and could therefore run industry standard software, together with the portable version, the M21.

OGL started developing accounting software for multi user computers in 1983, initially with some very basic ledgers, quickly progressing to invoicing and stock control modules. The first customer for these was QMP in the West Midlands – still running OGL software today, albeit an upgraded version!

1990s

The demand for servers in the SME marketplace rocketed as specifications increased and prices fell. OGL’s consultancy team grew as IT networks became more sophisticated and PCs and laptops took over from ‘dumb’ terminals. In 1992 OGL signed with Hewlett Packard (HP) as a strategic partner, followed closely by a partnership with Microsoft. This enabled the Company to offer industry leading solutions from two of the world leaders in IT.

OGL’s software development team focused on two key markets – stockists, distributors and merchants and the surface treatment industry.

2000s

Now with a continually expanding workforce, currently numbering 170, the business is going from strength to strength. The Company has a wealth of expertise in the Linux and Microsoft environments and key accreditations include HP Preferred Partner, Microsoft Gold Partner and Kaspersky Reseller of the Year (twice).

prof.ITplus, developed by OGL for the stockist, distributor and wholesaler marketplace, has now become the number one choice for ultimate efficiency, with many buying groups and trade associations recommending the software. Development for the surface treatment industry is ongoing and OGL remains strong in this area.

TODAY

OGL’s IT support services are synonymous with excellence and first class professionalism where the needs of the customer always come first.