Electronic Data Systems Corp has finally acquired the former Database Informatica SpA, now called just Database SpA, winning it as part of another giant facilities management deal that mirrors its 1993 deal in Sweden with Kooperativa Forbundet AB. In the new one, EDS wins a long-sought position in Italy with a $400m 10-year services contract with the Italian INA Group insurance company, which includes EDS acquiring Database. The Italian deal marks EDS’s second buy in a year: it bought Rome-based Unix specialist Gruppo S&M early in 1994, taking its employee base in Italy up to 1,500 people. EDS tried to buy Database in 1993 but was thwarted by shareholder IBM Semea, which acknowledged that Database needed new equity and said it might provide it (CI No 2,163), but it apparently decided not to do so. in July 1994, INA took control of Database, which is Italy’s third-largest software and services company and the main provider of information services for the insurance group.
