A Half Century of Success
Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. was founded as the Lancaster Corporation in 1953. Co-founders Warren V. “Pete” Musser and Frank A. Diamond, both Philadelphia stockbrokers, established Lancaster as a holding company to invest in small firms.
Safeguard Corporation was one of Lancaster’s earliest investments. Safeguard produced a machine that perforated numbers on checks, thriving on repeat orders from thousands of small businesses that used its bookkeeping and accounting products. The company eventually became Safeguard Business Systems, and, in 1980, it was spun out as a separate, publicly-traded firm.
The parent company changed its name to Safeguard Industries in 1966 and went public in 1967. In 1971, Safeguard shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SFE. The company was subsequently renamed Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.
Historic Growth
Safeguard was the first company of its kind to leverage the benefits of a public company structure to support emerging growth companies. Throughout its history, Safeguard has developed numerous companies that have either been taken public or sold to a strategic buyer. Safeguard’s successful legacy includes the development of Novell, QVC, Cambridge Technology Partners, Internet Capital Group, CompuCom Systems and Traffic.com.
A Strategy for the Future
Safeguard’s business model forms the basis for our continued success. Our diverse range of resources and dedicated expertise makes Safeguard a trusted partner – offering a superior alternative to financial and strategic buyers by enabling business transformation and generating long-term growth.