German IT services leader debis Systemhaus GmbH has bought a 90% stake in Barcelona, Spain-based desktop and network service provider, Grupo Eltec SA. With 1998 revenue of 47m euros ($50m), Eltec will substantially boost debis Systemhaus’ Spanish operations. It will also extend debis Systemhaus’ desktop services roll-out capability which already takes in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
Founded in 1985, Eltec currently provides a range of computing services capabilities to customers in financial services, the public sector and private industry through 32 service centers in Spain. As well as desktop services these include voice and data networks, remote network supervision, multimedia and net services, client/server infrastructures, help desk, automatic teller machines, cash registers and electronic security devices.
Debis Systemhaus previously bought into the Spanish market in January 1999 with the purchase of the IT services arm of La Generalitat, the Catalonian government in Barcelona, now known as Centre Informatic General de Catalunya. Eltec’s headcount of 800 brings debis Systemhaus’ total Spain-based workforce to around 1,300. debis Systemhaus will acquire 90% of Eltec from Aguas de Barcelona and a private shareholder. The remaining 10% will remain with an unnamed shareholder. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Eltec buy is the latest episode in what has been a busy summer for debis Systemhaus as it strives to increase its international presence. Already this month debis IT Services North America Inc, the company’s US subsidiary, bought US-based desktop outsourcing consultants Technology Asset Management (TAM) for an undisclosed amount. This was followed by announcement that debis Systemhaus will set up a 50/50 joint venture with Zagreb, Croatia-based petrochemical firm INA-Industrija Nafte d.d. for data center outsourcing, SAP services, applications development, desktop services and network services.
Debis Systemhaus is attempting to grow desktop services revenue from DM1.1bn ($580m) in 1998 to around DM1.7bn ($930m) in fiscal 1999. It is also actively trying to increase sales outside of Germany. These grew 97% in 1998 to DM1.1bn ($600m), or 25% of the total.
