IBM sells, but it's nothing personal
IBM Polska posted revenues last year up to 20 percent higher than the previous year, bringing total income up to zł.1.2 billion.
Though IBM Polska's representatives claim this is all just speculation, that 20 percent figure came straight from the horse's mouth. Last week, company CEO Dariusz Fabiszewski told Parkiet that turnover had risen by one-fifth, and that the "company grew twice as fast as our competitors."
Surprisingly, perhaps, that growth was fueled by IT services, as well as its Kraków-based consulting division, which represent 60 percent of turnover. Computer sales accounted for only 10 percent of revenues. IBM is most well known as a manufacturer of personal computers, a field in which it was considered a pioneer. Tough competition in the late 1990s from firms such as Dell and Compaq hit the computer-maker hard, forcing it to restructure. In 2001, Big Blue's IT services and consulting division began out-earning PC sales. In 2004, IBM's total sales rose 8.3 percent to $96.5 (zł.298) billion.
Now, the company is planning to sell its complete PC manufacturing unit to Chinese firm Lenovo-a move that has stirred up worries in the U.S. about technology secrets ending up in Chinese hands. However, if the plan is finally approved, as most analysts expect, then IBM's transformation from hardware production to IT consulting will be complete.
A new company will be established sometime in the middle of this year to take over the PC business currently being handled by IBM Polska.
Though IBM Polska's representatives claim this is all just speculation, that 20 percent figure came straight from the horse's mouth. Last week, company CEO Dariusz Fabiszewski told Parkiet that turnover had risen by one-fifth, and that the "company grew twice as fast as our competitors."
Surprisingly, perhaps, that growth was fueled by IT services, as well as its Kraków-based consulting division, which represent 60 percent of turnover. Computer sales accounted for only 10 percent of revenues. IBM is most well known as a manufacturer of personal computers, a field in which it was considered a pioneer. Tough competition in the late 1990s from firms such as Dell and Compaq hit the computer-maker hard, forcing it to restructure. In 2001, Big Blue's IT services and consulting division began out-earning PC sales. In 2004, IBM's total sales rose 8.3 percent to $96.5 (zł.298) billion.
Now, the company is planning to sell its complete PC manufacturing unit to Chinese firm Lenovo-a move that has stirred up worries in the U.S. about technology secrets ending up in Chinese hands. However, if the plan is finally approved, as most analysts expect, then IBM's transformation from hardware production to IT consulting will be complete.
A new company will be established sometime in the middle of this year to take over the PC business currently being handled by IBM Polska.
