Dutch telecoms group KPN sold the North American activities of Getronics as part of a strategy to focus the IT service provider more on the Benelux market, where it is a leader.

KPN said in a statement on Monday it had sold Getronics' activities in the United States and Canada as well as a global service centre in Mexico to CompuCom, an IT outsourcing company owned by Court Square Capital Partners, for cash and shares.

It gave no further financial details.

It will receive a minority stake in the combined company and be represented on the board. Together, the operations had revenue of $2.1 billion and more than 11,000 employees in North America in 2007.

KPN, the former Dutch telecoms monopoly, acquired Getronics last year. The Dutch IT service provider had struggled for years and sold all or most of its operations in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, China and Japan. 

Source:Reuters