Although ICL Plc operates at arm’s length from 80% shareholder Fujitsu Ltd, the two have found plenty of potential synergies, and yesterday announced formation of three new joint companies. In Europe, Fujitsu Systems Business – Europe will be owned and run by ICL, will take over the marketing and support of customers for Fujitsu’s VP supercomputers and M-Series mainframes, employing about 70 people. In North America, a new Fujitsu-ICL Systems Inc, under ICL management control, brings together ICL’s retail systems business in the US, Canada and Latin America plus ICL’s Caribbean operation, with Fujitsu Systems of America Inc, covering retail, automated teller machines and handheld terminals; ICL will hold 80% of the new 2,000-employee company. In Oceania – Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, an expanded Fujitsu Australia Ltd under Fujitsu’s management will take over ICL operations in the region: Fujitsu will hold an 80% stake in the 1,900-employee company.
