History
SQS: 25 years and more
When Heinz Bons and Rudolf van Megen founded the SQS Gesellschaft für Software-Qualitätssicherung
mbH in Cologne in 1982, they had little idea that 25 years later SQS would be a listed company with
over 1000 employees in eight countries. From the very beginning, though, they were convinced of the success of
their idea, namely systematic and methodical software testing. Even an appraiser assessment by the Federal
German Ministry of Research and Technology (BMFT), as it was then known, could not knock them off their path.
This looked at their request for extending the research ideas on Testing and decided at the time that it was “not worthy of promotion”; that was the starting point for SQS, when Heinz and Rudolf decided to set up an own business.
The first customers and projects confirmed the decision taken by
the company’s founders. Since then, what is now called SQS Software Quality Systems AG has been reducing
the error rate in IT projects—always on the basis of the approach whose foundations were laid in 1982.
Over the years, numerous other services and products were added: for example the company’s
own test tool, test automation solutions, software quality management and training that contributed to
the establishment of global standards. The company grew beyond the borders of Germany into other
European countries, and eventually also beyond the confines of the continent. The “testers’
den” has become an independent consulting house that is the market leader in its field.
For the customers, though, nothing has changed, then as now: SQS raises quality and lowers costs.
| 1982: |
Heinz Bons and Rudolf van Megen found the company named SQS Gesellschaft
für Software-Qualitätssicherung mbH and quickly establish themselves as independent
service providers in the German market.
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| 1984: |
SQS develops and markets a method for test case specification that various German and
Swiss companies and organisations use under licence.
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| 1986: |
In collaboration with UBS (formerly the Schweizer Bankgesellschaft), SQS develops a tool for
test case specification. This lays the foundations for SQS-TEST®/Professional - the software
solution for systematic testing.
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| 1988: |
The second component of the SQS-TEST®/Professional software solution is created—with a methodology for test data definition and specification.
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| 1989: |
The SQS approach to comprehensive automation of test processes is put on the market,
supported by a corresponding tool solution for test data and test environment management.
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| 1996: |
Internationalisation of SQS’s business begins—initially through involvement
in the BOOTSTRAP institute (now known as SPICE). The company subsequently offers
services surrounding software quality management and process assessments.
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| 1997: |
SQS takes a majority interest in the Hamburg company DTK Gesellschaft für
technische Kommunikation mbH (DTK), which specialises in the testing of embedded systems.
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| 1998: |
Together with a Spanish partner, SQS sets up a joint venture in Bilbao and with that its
first foreign branch.
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| 1999: |
SQS acquires a majority holding in FTT Future Technology Team GmbH (FTT) in Cologne—a
company that specialised in IT security.
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| 2000: |
SQS is converted into a joint stock company under German law, thereby also taking
account of the process of internationalisation: the new name of the company is SQS Software
Quality Systems AG.
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| 2000: |
SQS expands into Austria, with the founding of SQS Software Quality Systems
Ges. mbH in Vienna.
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| 2001: |
In the Netherlands, SQS purchases majority stakes in the consulting
companies AQsoft B.V. and AQpro B.V. in Zaltbommel (now called SQS Nederland B.V.). In the United
Kingdom, SQS completes the takeover of a majority holding in SQS Group (UK) Limited (formerly SIM
Group Limited).
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| 2002: |
SQS acquires the remaining shares in SQS Group (UK) Limited and expands into Switzerland through
the founding of the wholly owned subsidiary Software Quality Systems (Switzerland) AG.
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| 2002: |
Together with a Portuguese partner, SQS launches a joint venture, SQS Lda., in Lisbon.
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| 2003: |
SQS expands its portfolio to include high-level services in quality management,
for example through quality governance.
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| 2004: |
SQS becomes CMMI® Transition Partner to the Software Engineering Institute (SEI).
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| 2004: |
The Spanish holding is converted into a partnership with SQS S.A..
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| 2005: |
SQS becomes the first German company to have a primary listing on the London Stock
Exchange’s AIM (Alternative Investment Market). This is followed by a secondary listing
on the Open Market of the Deutsche Börse (German Stock Exchange) in Frankfurt.
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| 2006: |
SQS acquires 100% of the shares in Cresta Group (UK), thus tripling its turnover
in the UK and also making it the market leader there in services for software testing
and quality management.
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| 2007: |
SQS celebrates the 25th anniversary of its founding at a festive gala held at
the Gürzenich event centre in Cologne.
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| 2007: |
SQS takes over the insurance and IT specialists Triton Unternehmensberatung GmbH based in
Vienna. Heinz Bons, co-founder of SQS and Chief Operating Officer (COO) stepped down from
the Board at the end of the year. He will continue to support SQS as a principal consultant
on specific projects. With an office in Westville (close to Durban), SQS has an offshore location in South Africa,
where work has been carried out for both European and South African customers ever since
it was established.
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| 2008: |
SQS establishes SQS Egypt in Cairo.
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