Editing Groupe Bull (section)

=== Origins ===
[[File:Machines Bull S. A. 1963.jpg|thumb|Share of the Compagnie des Machines Bull S. A., issued 1963]]
On 31 July 1919, Norwegian engineer [[Fredrik Rosing Bull]] filed a patent for a "combined sorter-recorder-tabulator of punch cards" machine that he had developed with financing from the Norwegian insurance company Storebrand.<ref>
{{cite web
|url = http://www.feb-patrimoine.com/Histoire/tabsyn/ts3.htm#A231
|title =  Histoire de Bull
|access-date = 2014-10-11
}}
</ref>  Storebrand integrated his device into its operations in 1921. The following year Bull sold his second machine to the Danish insurer [[Codan A/S|Hafnia]] who had learned of the technology through an article in an insurance trade magazine.<ref name="Bull et le 20ème arrondissement">{{cite web|url=http://mapage.noos.fr/fholvoet/Bull20eme2.htm|title=Bull et le 20ème arrondissement|publisher=sur le Site personnel de François Holvoet-Vermaut}}</ref> At the time of Bull's death from cancer in 1925 at the age of 43, a dozen of his machines had been sold to different companies throughout Europe.<ref name="Bull et le 20ème arrondissement"/> The commercial and technical development of the machines continued under the direction of Bull's childhood friend and long-time collaborator Reidar Knutsen along with his brother Kurt Andréas Knutsen.

As the business grew, several outside investors were brought in, leading to the incorporation of the company H.W. Egli Bull in 1931.<ref name="patrimoine">{{cite web|url = http://www.feb-patrimoine.com/Histoire/tabsyn/ts10.htm#A195|title = Événement}}</ref> In 1933, more investors joined and the company changed its name to Compagnie des Machines Bull, a name it would keep until 1964.