British Steel computer deal for French firm
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.British Steel has awarded a pounds 500m contract, the biggest computer contract ever signed in the private sector, to the French IT company Cap Gemini.
The contract is to outsource British Steel's entire computer support over the next 10 years and develop a new range of IT services. It will initially involve the transfer of more than 600 British Steel IT staff to Cap Gemini. The French group is Europe's largest computer services company, employing 27,000 people including 5,500 in the UK.
The size of the deal is further evidence of a growing demand for computer experts to run essential and increasingly complex IT services. Cap Gemini's contract, which begins in March 1998, was won from EDS, the US computer services company much maligned by Private Eye.
British Steel originally gave the contract to IBM in February last year, before terminating the deal in January this year, reputedly because of IBM's concerns over margins on the contract.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments