Atos Origin signs 150 million Euro IT outsourcing contract with Symrise

Successful start in 2006: Symrise assigns complete IT to Atos Origin including management of applications support, consultancy, project activities and IT infrastructure.

Stuttgart/Holzminden, 26 January 2006 - Atos Origin, an international IT services provider, and Symrise, the world’s fourth largest producer of fragrances and flavours, have signed a 10-year agreement worth €150 million that sees Symrise outsourcing its complete IT infrastructure to Atos Origin from 1 February. As part of the deal, approximately 100 IT staff working for Symrise worldwide will be employed by Atos Origin.



Under the terms of the outsourcing contract, Atos Origin will provide consultancy to Symrise, as well as managing its applications support and IT infrastructure. It will also handle specific projects. This will include such areas as global network management, handling approximately 500 servers located on all continents, operation and further development of software applications and the company’s composition database, “Symcom”. Atos Origin will provide full IT support for the 4,500 PC workstations at Symrise on a round-the-clock basis. Experienced consultants will also support and advise Symrise in process design, systems and applications integration as well as automated operations for the chemical sector.



“We run a highly complex business, locally and globally. Complex material flows, extensive documentation duties and challenging scientific aspects demand a strong and reliable IT infrastructure. With Atos Origin, we have found a partner who can supply all this on a global level at the high standard we require,” says Dr. Gerold Linzbach, Symrise’s Chief Executive Officer. “Co-operation with Atos Origin will allow us to focus on our core business areas - development, production, marketing and sales, - further strengthening our position in the global market for fragrances and flavours.” As part of the outsourcing agreement, Atos Origin will streamline Symrise’s various ERP systems around the world on the basis of SAP and set up a common platform.



As a result of this agreement, Atos Origin will expand significantly its Competence Center for the chemical sector, and also extend its computer centre in Holzminden. “This long-term, 10-year partnership with Symrise shows that Atos Origin is regarded as an innovative IT partner in the chemical industry. Our relationship with Wolff Walsrode AG, has already allowed us to develop extensive expertise in the sector, which we will now be able to strengthen through the agreement with Symrise,“ says Gerhard Fercho, General Manager for Atos Origin in Germany and COO of Germany & Central Europe.



About 60 of the 100 Symrise IT staff will move to their new employer, Atos Origin GmbH in Germany, on 1 February. The remaining employees will be transferred to Atos Origin companies in France, Switzerland, the US, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore and China on a staggered timeframe, in line with each country’s regulations. In these countries, as well as in India and Malaysia, Atos Origin will provide global IT services for the 34 countries in which Symrise operates. “Our global orientation, flexibility and ability to learn fast in the customer’s environment were major factors in the decision to choose us,” says Hartmut Bertram, Vice President of Atos Origin, who is responsible for strategic sales outsourcing for Germany and Central Europe (GCE).



About Symrise
Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavors and raw materials and active ingredients for the perfume, cosmetics and food industry. With sales of €1.14 billion in 2004, the company is among the top four in the international flavours and fragrances market. Symrise actively supports the brand concepts of its clients so that together they can create top-quality products which fulfil consumers’ preferences. With over 40 registered patents each year, Symrise is one of the most innovative manufacturers on the market. Symrise has three divisions: Flavors, Fragrances and Sensory Ingredients. Symrise was formed in 2002 as a result of the merger between two companies with rich traditions: Dragoco and Haarmann & Reimer.


About Atos Origin
Atos Origin is an international information technology services company. Its business is turning client vision into results through the application of consulting, systems integration and managed operations. The company’s annual revenues are more than EUR 5 billion and it employs over 46,000 people in 40 countries. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games and has a client base of international blue-chip companies across all sectors. Atos Origin is quoted on the Paris Eurolist Market and trades as Atos Origin, AtosEuronext Market Solutions, Atos Worldline and Atos Consulting.

Contact Information

Nicola Popoff

Atos Origin GmbH

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