Aker Kvaerner Selects HP and BT Alliance to Implement IT Communications Around the Globe

WebKnowHow
Wednesday, July 5, 2006; 02:30 AM

HP and BT announced that Aker Kvaerner, a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions, has selected HP and BT to supply it with an agile environment for IT and communications.

Aker Kvaerner is a worldwide operating engineering company in various industries, including oil and gas, refining and chemicals, mining and metals, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, power generation, and pulp and paper. In all of these areas, the business is based on projects that set up quickly, need to be executed rapidly and closed on short notice.

The HP and BT alliance will integrate the Norway-based firm's IT and communication networks into one single global IT organization. With a potential value of $50 million, the five-year contract will cover all IT and communications infrastructure.

The agreement provides an umbrella for all communications services. The first detailed services cover the Aker Kvaerner wide area network, which connects its offices and sites and also provides secure access to the Internet. Further services are expected to follow during the remainder of 2006.

Aker Kvaerner chose the HP and BT alliance while seeking one supplier to provide it with a simple, cost-efficient infrastructure to help the company operate globally.

"This agreement will realize significant savings for Aker Kvaerner globally and deliver a globally consistent service for this critical part of our IT delivery," said Frode Strand, senior vice president, Global IT, Aker Kvaerner. "Our data and voice communications infrastructure has been fragmented, and although we have made many improvements over the last years, selecting a single global partner affords much lower rates, globally consistent service levels and a flexible contract structure that includes use of benchmarking to guarantee year-on-year savings."

The deal expands Aker Kvaerner's relationship with HP, which provides Aker Kvaerner with data center hosting, servers and PCs.

"We are proud to be chosen by such a professional and demanding customer as Aker Kvaerner," said Eivind Roald, managing director, HP Norway. "The HP and BT alliance will provide the solution Aker Kvaerner needs in order to use IT as a strategic advantage, supporting the company's business processes and becoming a true adaptive enterprise."

"We are delighted to have been selected in partnership with HP as single supplier of Aker Kvaerner's global communication needs," said Anders Westkamper, Nordics country manager, BT. "It is fantastic recognition of BT's capabilities in Scandinavia. Once again, the combined expertise and strength of the HP and BT alliance is proven competitive and successful."

In May 2004, BT and HP announced plans to develop a strategic go-to-market alliance to address mutual growth opportunities in the global IT and networking marketplace. As the communications and IT sectors converge, the alliance presents a major opportunity for BT and HP to use their combined capabilities in delivering enhanced service offerings to the growing global IT and networking market.