The year was 1990:

• Iraq invades Kuwait
  
• German reunification
  
• Dolly the sheep is cloned

Meanwhile . . .

The international step-out move in 1990 was certainly bold, but had nothing to do with its name: InterBold®. The name was actually a combination of the words International (from International Business Machines, or IBM) and Diebold.

What it stood for was a partnership – owned 70 percent by Diebold, 30 percent by IBM – which combined the ATM and self-service resources of the two companies to expand global market reach.

InterBold operated as a division of Diebold, joining together our ATM expertise with IBM’s global marketing and technical resources. Diebold would sell its own products in the United States. IBM would no longer sell its own products in the United States, but would sell InterBold machines in most countries outside America.

In 1991, InterBold introduced the I Series of ATMs. This fourth generation machine answered what researchers then showed to be the marketplace’s most desired features: ease of use, upgradeability and flexibility.

The I Series featured innovative, new technology including an Intel 386SX processor, an OS/2 operating system, check imaging from IBM and a multi-media dispenser.

Due to the modular architecture of the I Series, owners could upgrade by trading components or adding features without having to buy new machines. In 1994, the I Series was further upgraded with the introduction of the IX Performance Package.

The partnership produced some great results, increasing domestic market share considerably. But there were near-constant struggles to meet the challenges both companies had set for themselves through this joint venture. Dave Wetzel, EMEA vice president and general manager for Western Europe and South Africa, was deeply involved in trying to bridge the gaps between the two organizations.

“It was an exciting time,” Wetzel says. “As associates moved from both IBM and Diebold to InterBold, we gained significant insight from both organizations about the market and the requirements for success. We talked about the joint venture being ‘International’ in scope and ‘bold’ in vision. We looked at ways to leverage both companies. We sent Diebold sales associates to IBM's sales training. And IBM associates needed to understand the strengths of our products. Diebold needed to grasp the unique European requirements and the investments needed to be successful.

“It was difficult trying to get the international momentum we needed to succeed,” he said. “Diebold had aggressive goals to pursue a global business and we struggled to achieve those goals through the IBM distribution channel. Eventually, IBM redefined who it wanted to be. And, ultimately, we decided that while we learned a great deal, the ongoing joint venture wasn't providing what both companies needed.”

The InterBold partnership was dissolved in 1997 when Diebold purchased IBM's share of the partnership. IBM eventually entered into a re-distribution arrangement with a German competitor of ours, Wincor Nixdorf.