[July 21, 2006] French firm buys part of former Firstlogic business Tweet (La Crosse Tribune (Wisconsin)(KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Jul. 21--About 34 Business Objects employees in La Crosse have a new employer, AddressVision Inc. The French firm Groupe Bull on Wednesday acquired the former Firstlogic Inc. postal automation software business in La Crosse from Business Objects Americas. It renamed that part of the La Crosse operation AddressVision Inc., and plans to keep it in La Crosse. Its employees will continue to work in part of the Business Objects building at 100 Harborview Plaza, a spokesman said. "We're hoping to grow the business," which could mean more jobs in La Crosse, said Steve Puleo, spokesman for Bull HN Information Systems Inc. in the Boston suburb of Billerica, Mass. Groupe Bull, also known simply as Bull, is based in Paris. In a press release Thursday, it said Business Objects retains the former Firstlogic data quality business. Business Objects also retains the former Firstlogic Commercial Mail division, which develops software to support direct and commercial mail printers, publishers and distributors. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. "This acquisition provides Bull with leading-edge software solutions and strengthens our offering in an area where we are a major player," Jonathan Burbank, president of Bull HN in the United States, said in the press release. Bull already was involved in postal automation software, mainly in Europe, Puleo said. The purchase of the former Firstlogic postal automation software business "augments or allows us to expand," he said. Bull describes itself as one of the leading European information technology companies. Business Objects completed its $69 million acquisition of La Crosse-based Firstlogic Inc. in early April, and said then 8 percent to 10 percent of Firstlogic's 300 employees in La Crosse were being laid off. Business Objects has dual headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and Paris. "It surprises me they have (sold part of the La Crosse operation) this quickly after their acquisition," said Dick Granchalek, president of the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce. "I'm sure they're positioning themselves for where their strengths are," he said of Business Objects. Granchalek said the sale "points to the quality of workforce we have here, that we can draw this kind of attention from the international business community, and that a product of this magnitude has been recognized as superior and developed here in La Crosse for worldwide usage." Firstlogic was founded as Postalsoft in 1984 and renamed Firstlogic in 1997. It provided software and services for print-and-mail operations to maximize postage discounts and reduce production costs, as well as software that helps companies manage databases. Steve Cahalan can be reached at (608) 791-8229 or [email protected]. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]