Akzo Nobel plans to transfer Akzo Nobel Information Services to Origin

Akzo Nobel plans to transfer Akzo Nobel Information Services to Origin Arnhem, the Netherlands, March 23, 1999. - Akzo Nobel announced today that it plans to transfer Akzo Nobel Information Services (AIS) to Origin B.V., Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The intended agreement covers all current AIS activities and all its 700 employees in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific. Akzo Nobel Information Services (AIS) would be transferred completely and become an integral part of the Origin organization. Employees and trade unions have been informed and the works council in the Netherlands has been asked for advice. "Akzo Nobel recognizes the strategic importance of information technology (IT) for its business. We sought for a partner offering the scale and high level expertise required to further improve the price/performance ratio of the IT-services to our business units," said Paul K. Brons, member of the Board of Management of Akzo Nobel N.V. responsible for IT. "This partnership should lead to further improvement of our business performance and competitiveness." "We found that Origin and AIS have strong complementary skills and a good cultural fit, which we believe will be beneficial to all parties," commented Sip Reintsema, General Manager of Akzo Nobel Information Services. "Origin has a good reputation in both social and professional aspects. The company also has experience in integrating large groups in their organization and is well positioned for the next era in the global IT-business. Therefore, I believe that the employees of Akzo Nobel Information Services will benefit from this intended transfer and will be pleased about the intention to choose Origin as strategic partner." "The relationship Akzo Nobel is building up with Origin will be exemplary for multinational corporations around the world who look for strategic sourcing of their IT-services. Akzo Nobel made a positive choice by creating the basis for a dynamic and long lasting relationship built on clear commitments and mutual trust. The intended agreement with Akzo Nobel is strong evidence of Origin's positioning as a global, tier one supplier of full life cycle IT-services," says Robert E. Pickering, CEO of Origin. Akzo Nobel and Origin intend to finalize the contractual details of the planned agreement as soon as possible after the discussions with works council and unions. Origin B.V., headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, provides a full spectrum of information technology services for global corporations and other complex "extended enterprises" through operations in 32 countries around the world with a staff of over 17,000. Origin's customers include over 100 of the world's Fortune 500 firms. Origin is a member of the Royal Philips Electronics group of companies. Akzo Nobel, based in the Netherlands, serves customers throughout the world with healtcare products, coatings, chemicals and fibers. The fibers business, now known as Acordis, is intended to be demerged in the course of the second half of 1999. The company currently employs some 86,000 people in more than 60 countries. As from 1999 the Euro will be Akzo Nobel's external reporting currency. Consolidated sales for 1998 totaled NLG 27.5 billion (EUR 12.5 billion / USD 13.8 billion / GBP 8.4 billion). Financial results for the first quarter of 1999 will be announced on April 21. - - - Internet: http://www.akzonobel.com http://www.origin-it.com Note for the editor / not for publication For more information please contact: Akzo Nobel N.V. Eric Heres, tel. + 31 26 366 45 11 Origin B.V. Geerd Schlangen, tel. + 31 30 291 1404 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/03/23/19990323BIT00300/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/03/23/19990323BIT00300/bit0002.pdf