Global Outsourcing On the Rise

Bridgestone Corporation Europe, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Japan, the tire and rubber manufacturer, will be outsourcing its SAP application-maintenance and support services to Satyam Computer Services for a three-year period. Bridgestone Europe has approximately 2,000 users on various SAP modules located across Europe in manufacturing plants, technical centers, regional distribution centers, warehouses and sales companies.

Also opting to turn over IT work to an outside provider, Lumenis, a developer, manufacturer and seller of laser and light-based devices, will outsource its global IT services to EDS Israel, a wholly owned subsidiary of EDS. Under terms of the agreement, EDS will manage and operate Lumenis' internal IT activities and services for up to eight years at all of its sites--including the United States, Europe, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Israel. Lumenis' IT employees will become employees of EDS and handle the operation, maintenance and upgrading of existing IT hardware and software applications, as well as the implementation of a new global ERP platform.