Konecranes RTG cranes at Port of Houston

Konecranes has signed a five-year agreement to outsource its IT support services to Hewlett Packard (HP).

Under the agreement, HP will operate the helpdesk and provide on-site services for the group and standardise its desktop computer environment.

About 18 global information service employees, including seven from Finland, will transfer from Konecranes to HP in the northern hemisphere autumn of 2008.

Kari Suominen, Konecranes chief information officer, says by standardising the group's IT infrastructure and outsourcing its support function, Konecranes will be equipped to face evolving business challenges.

Suominen explains the agreement will also help the group adjust the focus on IT from support and maintenance to development and innovation.

The transition will begin early April and will be finalised by 1 May 2009.