Fujitsu Thinking Big In Services

Fujitsu, which is already considered one of the largest IT services companies globally according to IDC, is creating two new companies, Fujitsu Services and Fujitsu Consulting, to target the new markets.

Both entities, which are being formed out of Fujitsu's recent acquisitions of ICL and DMR Consulting, as well as the company's existing internal business units, will begin operations in April.

Yuji Hirose, executive vice president in charge of Fujitsu's global software and services business, says the move will help Fujitsu serve clients who are increasingly looking for single-source providers of IT solutions.

In making such a large push into the North American and European services market, Fujitsu is the latest technology vendor trying to take a page out of the playbook of IBM, which built up its IBM Global Services unit over the last few years into a $33 billion organization. Other companies like Compaq and Hewlett-Packard have long considered their services businesses key areas for growth. And fellow technology manufacturer Hitachi purchased Experio Solutions, the former consulting business of Grant Thornton, in 2000 as a way of turning itself into more of a solutions-oriented company.

Richard Christou, CEO of ICL, will be named CEO of Fujitsu Services, which will be headquartered in London. The services unit will focus on IT infrastructure management and outsourcing across desktop, networking and data center environments, in addition to related services like infrastructure consulting, integration and deployment.

Fujitsu Consulting will include the operations of DMR Consulting, the applications units of ICL in the UK and Ireland, and the operations of Fujitsu Systems Business of America and Fujitsu Systems Europe. The consulting unit, which will be headquartered in Edison, N.J., will provide consulting, applications integration and managed services to help clients design, integrate and maintain high-impact, strategic business solutions. It will be run by Michael Poehner, CEO of DMR Consulting.

Fujitsu also plans to start a new ad campaign later this month promoting the services and consulting units.