[clari.nb.business] IBM Canada, Businessland Form Joint Venture

newsbytes@clarinet.com (02/04/90)

MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1990 JAN 29 (NB) -- Businessland Canada
and IBM Canada have joined forces to buy GE Computer Services
Canada. The division of General Electric Canada will be renamed
PC ServicePartners.

Businessland will be the majority partner and IBM will hold a
minority stake, said Bob Henderson, vice-president and general
manager of Businessland Canada, but the companies are not saying
exactly how large each share is. PC ServicePartners will
continue the GE Computer Services computer service business, and
will do all Businessland Canada's service. Sales operations of
the GE division will be integrated into Businessland, and its
leasing activities will become part of IBM Canada, Henderson
said.

The GE division employs more than 110 people in 15 locations
across Canada. Some of those people will move to Businessland
and IBM, Henderson said, but all the locations will remain open.

The move is a first for Businessland worldwide, according to
Henderson, but he said a similar deal is in the works in Japan.

(Grant Buckler/19900130/Press Contact: Bob Henderson,
Businessland Canada, 416-470-7077)