Systems Designers Plc chairman Phil Swinstead completed the coup of his career last night when he agreed terms for the acquisition of BP’s long-for-sale Scicon computer services subsidiary. The merged company, to be known as SD-Scicon Plc, will have combined turnover of over ?200m, shooting it past CAP and Logica to the number one spot in the UK, and making it the second largest independent in Europe after Cap-Gemini-Sogeti SA. Scicon will add 3,800 staff to Systems Designers’ 1,750, and a substantial US presence to complement Warrington. It is strong in West Germany and has a presence in France as well as a big data centre in Milton Keynes. The price – said to be around ?80m – will be met with new shares and debt. British Aerospace, with 25% of Systems Designers, has approved.
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