IBM announces two Canadian partnership deals
FRIDAY, APRIL 07, 2000 4:56:00 PM EST
SAINT JOHN, Apr 07, 2000 (The Canadian Press via COMTEX) -- Global computer giant IBM announced deals on opposite sides of the country Friday, with a $200 million oil refinery partnership in New Brunswick and an Internet incubator strategy in Vancouver.
Under an 11-year deal, IBM will provide Irving Oil with most of the information technology needed for its marketing division. This includes help desk services as well as management of the energy company's computer system from IBM's data centre in Toronto.
As part of the deal, Irving has agreed to buy additional information technology services from IBM and will transfer 25 current Irving employees to the computer company.
``This strategic partnership with industry leader IBM is about how we will meet our customers' needs even better in the future,' Irving Oil spokesman Michael Crosby said in a release.
In Vancouver, IBM Canada announced a partnership with WSi Interactive to create a ``dynamic Internet business incubation partnership.'
WSi is an Internet business development and marketing firm that capitalizes on direct marketing opportunities on the Internet.
WSi and IBM will work together to review potential e-commerce startups, arrange financing and provide management and technology assistance and sales and other support.
``The goal is to allow Internet companies to concentrate on building their businesses, with the strong support of WSi and IBM,' the companies said in a press release.
Expected costs of the WSi deal were not disclosed.
On Thursday, IBM announced another significant Canadian deal with high-tech company Newbridge Networks.
The fast-growing Ottawa-area company will outsource much of its customer service operations to IBM so that it can meet expanding product demand around the world. That deal will not involve any job transfers or losses.
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