HP has signed a five-year contract with AkzoNobel to provide workplace services to around 26,000 employees in 29 countries. The new contract is expected to reduce costs and increase employee productivity for the Netherlands-based industrial company.

The contract includes a global service desk in 13 languages, application life cycle management, asset management and mobility services.

Pieter Schoehuijs, chief information officer at AkzoNobel, said: “As the world’s largest paint manufacturer and a leader in specialty chemicals, we’re focused on delivering innovative products to our customers. HP’s workplace services will equip our employees with consistent, high-quality, secure technology support so we can maintain our focus and industry leadership moving forward.”

HP said that the agreement is aimed at standardising workplace services worldwide, so that AkzoNobel will reduce downtime, boost employee productivity and achieve cost savings.

Bill Thomas, senior vice president of the Europe, Middle East and Africa region at EDS, an HP company, said: “HP will provide scalability, consistency and expertise while helping to resolve complex hardware and software issues quickly and efficiently.”