TOKYO, Japan / SANTA CLARA, Calif-- Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT ) today announced that it
has reached an agreement with Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS) under which Hitachi
will assume full ownership of Hitachi Data Systems Corporation. Terms were not disclosed.
Hitachi Data Systems is a joint venture formed by the two companies in 1989 to distribute,
sell and service Hitachi's mainframe and storage product lines. Hitachi Data Systems acquired
National Advanced Systems, Inc. from National Semiconductor Corporation in 1989, and is based
in Santa Clara, Calif.
In making the announcement, Toshihiko Odaka, board director and group executive,
Computer Products Group of Hitachi, Ltd., said, "The evolving nature of today's information
systems marketplace dictated our action to assume full ownership of Hitachi Data Systems. With
this agreement, we are now in a position to strengthen and broaden the resources and product mix
of Hitachi Data Systems as a solution provider in North America."
"We greatly value the relationships forged and the customers we have served in this joint
venture," said Gary Moore, senior vice president of EDS and first president and CEO of Hitachi
Data Systems. "It has been a great pleasure and privilege to work with our colleagues at Hitachi
Data Systems on this project."
EDS and Hitachi, Ltd. will continue the professional affiliations formed in other capacities.
Hitachi, Ltd. will assume control of Hitachi Data Systems no later than April 21, 1999. Jeff
Heller, board member of Hitachi Data Systems and EDS president and COO, and Gary Moore
will both resign their posts at the time of the transaction.
Hitachi Data Systems markets high-performance enterprise servers, storage systems, and
professional services worldwide. Hitachi Data Systems meets its customers' computing needs with
the broadest line of the highest performance S/390(R)-compatible servers in the world, including
the HDS Skyline Series[tm] and the HDS Pilot Series,[tm] as well as the Hitachi Freedom
Storage subsystems which provide multiplatform support across S/390, UNIX, and Windows NT
environments. Hitachi Data Systems is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and employs
2,300 people and operates in 30 countries worldwide. For on-line information about Hitachi Data
Systems products and services, access our products and services pages.
Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global
electronics companies, with fiscal 1997 (ended March 31, 1998) consolidated sales of 8,417
billion yen ($63.8 billion*). The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products,
including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment.
For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web site at http://www.hitachi.co.jp.
* At an exchange rate of 132 yen to the dollar.
Press Contact:
Ken Mizoguchi Mark Lewis
Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi Data Systems Corp.
+81-3-3258-2055 (408) 970-4356
mizo@cm.head.hitachi.co.jp mark.lewis@hds.com
Terry Kubo
Hitachi America, Ltd.
(650) 244-7902
tatsuya.kubo@hal.hitachi.com
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