Five major Nordic groups choose application services from EDB

(Oslo, 01 February 2007) EDB has entered into strategically important framework agreements in the area of application services with five major Nordic corporate groups. EDB has signed agreements with Volvo IT, Astra Zeneca, Ericsson, SAS and Ekornes representing estimated total contract value for EDB of around NOK 400 million over the term of the agreements.

"These agreements are strategically very important for EDB. The market for application services shows sound growth, and our activities in this area are developing extremely well", comments Endre Rangnes, CEO of EDB.
 
The customers that have chosen EDB are all major Nordic corporate groups with extremely extensive and complex IT requirements. In the area of application services EDB has established a Nordic model for delivery which shall handle requirements from this kind of customers. 
 
EDB now has 1,000 qualified employees in the application services area, which is the most rapidly growing sector of the IT market. The business area is experiencing very strong demand for the expertise EDB offers. Therefore EDB plans to recruit some 100 new employees attached to the area of application services.
 
Five Nordic corporate groups choose EDB for IT consulting
  • SAS AB has signed a 2-year framework agreement with EDB's subsidiary Guide Konsult AB for IT-related consulting services. The framework agreement covers the entire SAS group and its activities in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Spain. As part of the agreement, Guide and Avenir will supply services for strategic project management in the business development area, as well as developing quality assurance systems and web development.  

  • Volvo IT has signed a 2-year framework agreement with EDB's subsidiary Guide Konsult AB for IT-related consulting services. The agreement includes investigation work, preliminary studies, project development, project management, building systems and programming. 

  • Astra Zeneca has signed a 5-year framework agreement with EDB's subsidiary Guide Konsult AB. The agreement covers consulting work in connection with all aspects of Internet-based solutions and information technology.  

  • Ericsson has signed a framework agreement with Spring Consulting that provides for Spring, working together with Guide Konsult, to provide consulting services in areas including analytical tools, quality systems, systems integration and systems development. The framework agreement is for a 2-year period.  

  • Ekornes has signed an agreement with Spring Consulting in connection with the installation of SAP for Ekornes' activities. Spring's role will include consulting work on the implementation and development of SAP at Ekornes.
 
The agreements entered into are framework agreements and therefore do not represent guaranteed revenue amounts, but on the basis of previous assignments and EDB's understanding of these customers' requirements, it estimates the total contract value of these agreements will be in the order of NOK 400 million over their life. This revenue will make an important contribution to meeting EDB's targets for revenue in the Application Services business area.
 
 
Any questions may be addressed to:
Endre Rangnes, CEO. Tel: + 47 22 52 80 80
John-Arne Haugerud, EVP - application services, EDB, +47 901 153 37
Geir Remman, EVP - Corporate Communications. Tel: +47 970 55 017
 
 
EDB Business Partner is a leading stock exchange listed IT group for the Nordic region. The group had some 3,900 employees at the close of 2006, and reported turnover of NOK 5.8 billion in 2006. EDB delivers solutions that cover the entire range of business critical IT services from application services and industry-specific solutions through to IT operating services and network solutions.