Westpac Banking Corp of Sydney, Australia has snubbed IBM Australia Pte Ltd in three major computer contracts announced last week, the Australian Financial Review reports: a $6m order for 1,000 personal computers and printers to automate branch network went to AST Research Inc and Hewlett-Packard Co; the bank then appointed Digital Equipment Corp prime contractor with Groupe Bull SA to maintain its branch network and head office divisions, and a further maintenance contract for Westpac’s computer and data centres was awarded to a consortium of Fujitsu Ltd and Bell Atlantic Corp’s Bell Atlantic Business Services; IBM, once the bank’s favoured supplier, held both pacts.
