EDB and WM-data signs major contract with Apoteket in Sweden

EDB and WM-data signs major contract with Apoteket in Sweden

(Oslo, 28 January 2004) Apoteket AB intends to transfer the responsibility for the operation of the company's IT infrastructure to EDB Business Partner through a contract with EDB as a subcontractor to Swedish WM-data. EDB's share of the contract will represent business volume in the order of NOK 400-500 million over a four-year period, with the option of a one-year extension. The new arrangements will come into effect from 1 April 2004. "A breakthrough for EDB in the Swedish IT operations market", says President and CEO Endre Rangnes.

EDB Business Partner will enter into this agreement with Apoteket AB as a subcontractor to WM-data AB, and WM-data will be responsible for applications development and maintenance. In accordance with the rules for public sector purchasing in Sweden, the other bidders for this contract have ten days in which to appeal against the decision. The parties have the option to extend the contract by a further year. The contract is due to be signed on 9 February.

A total of 39 companies submitted bids to Apoteket AB. Apoteket is a state-owned limited company with the exclusive right to sell pharmaceutical products in Sweden. Apoteket operates 900 retail outlets in total, and reported turnover of around SEK 32 billion in 2002. The company has almost 11,000 employees in total. EDB will, once the final contract is signed, take over responsibility for server operations, applications operations, hardware, database administration, help desk functions and ownership of Apoteket's infrastructure. EDB will also take over about 20 employees related to help desk and operations functions, and as part of the contract will invest approximately NOK 50 million in equipment acquired.

"This is a big day for the EDB group, and not least for EDB IT Operations", says President and CEO Endre Rangnes. "We have won this contract against competition from all the larger players in the Swedish market, and it will boost our turnover in Sweden by almost 50%. This vote of confidence by Apoteket demonstrates our expertise and competitiveness. Our collaboration with WM-data has worked well, and is a good example of how companies that often find themselves in competition can also collaborate when it is in the interests of both parties", explains Mr Rangnes.

- We are pleased to sign a contract with two suppliers that at the same time offers best price and best quality. We will through the agreement achieve economical gains as well as strengthen our position, says Stefan Carlsson, CEO of Apoteket AB.

Any enquiries may be addressed to:

John-Arne Haugerud, Executive Vice President - EDB IT Operations. Tel: +47 901 15 337
Reidar Gjærum, Executive Vice President - Corporate Communications. Tel. +47 908 55 101

EDB Business Partner is one of the leading suppliers of IT operations and software in the Nordic region. We provide industry-leading total solutions in the areas of banking and finance, telecommunications and IT operations. Our objective is to contribute to our customers' value creation by offering productivity-enhancing IT solutions combined with flexible and reliable operating solutions with unique economies of scale. EDB Business Partner has some 2,500 employees and reported turnover of NOK 4.3 billion in 2002. We are represented in Norway, Sweden, the USA, England, France, Spain and Switzerland. EDB Business Partner is listed on Oslo Børs with the ticker code EDBASA.