Fujitsu Siemens merger back on track

It's back on. After an apparent dose of last minute nerves, as experienced by many an anxious bride and groom to be, Fujitsu and Siemens are ready to announce that they have tied the knot. Next Tuesday (24 August), in Frankfurt, the two will unveil their merged European PC businesses and introduce the new company's management team. The merger will push Fujitsu into the upper echelons of Euro PC makers and, at the same time, will afford Siemens the opportunity to pull out of the market without seeming to be in an unsightly hurry. Earlier this month, there were reports coming out of Germany that the proposed joint venture was starting to falter, with disagreements over who would run the new operation cited as the principal problem. But next Tuesday's press conference will reveal the management, structure, sales strategy and product range for the new company and so puts paid to any doubts that the deal is most definitely on. The runners and riders in the Fujitsu Siemens joint venture –- which will be called Fujitsu Siemens Computers, oddly enough -- are still under wraps, but the smart money is on Fujitsu's European head honcho, Winfried Hoffman, to win by a neck. ® Related Stories Fujitsu takes control of Siemens PC business Fujitsu Siemens aims for top two PC slot Siemens turns to Fujitsu JV to save PC business