IBM has signed a $1.2 billion deal with France-based tire company Michelin to manage and maintain its IT infrastructure in North America and Europe. The eight-year contract puts IBM in charge of IT production operations, user support, technical support, and a host of hardware and software assets. About 600 Michelin IT workers will be transferred to IBM as part of the deal and will change over in the first quarter of 2004. Separately, IBM said it inked a outsourcing deal with Zurich Financial Services to manage 65,000 'electronic workplaces,' including PCs, printers, software, and laptop computers. The variable-pricing deal involves monthly payments to IBM based on usage volume, and is part of a Zurich Financial effort to streamline its IT operations. Clabby Analytics analyst Joe Clabby valued the deal to be worth between $450 million and $500 million. Copyright 2003 INFORMATION, INC. |
