ARMONK, N.Y., AUBURN HILLS, Mich., TURIN, Italy and BASILDON, England, April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM), together with Fiat S.p.A., Chrysler Group LLC, and CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI), today announced a multi-year strategic services agreement to manage the IT infrastructure and services that support the day-to-day operations and locations, while enabling new opportunities for innovation, for the three organizations worldwide.  The scope of the agreement also includes infrastructure management and hosting for the global mail solution servicing more than 150,000 people worldwide.

Fiat and Chrysler have plants in approximately 40 countries and products available in more than 150, while CNH Industrial manufactures in over 20 countries and sells in 190. The three organizations came together to engage IBM as the primary partner in managing their extensive global IT infrastructure, which spans mainframe, midrange and storage in data centers located near Detroit, Michigan, and in St. Louis, Missouri, in the U.S.; Turin and Milan, Italy; and Hortolandia, Brazil.

"Combining Chrysler and Fiat's IT infrastructure services into a global capability is a critical step in our journey to building a powerful and agile global operation that supports our company's growth strategy," said Scott Sandschafer, Chief Information Officer, Chrysler Group LLC.

"This agreement, an extension of a decade-long partnership with IBM, will continue to provide the technology innovation, global delivery capabilities and cost effectiveness that is required to optimize and grow our business worldwide," said Gilberto Ceresa, Chief Information Officer, Fiat S.p.A.

"CNH Industrial and the 11 global brands that drive our business have been built on a rich history of technology innovation that dates back more than 170 years," said Domenico Cipollone, head of ICT Demand Management and Projects, who is acting as Co-Chief Information Officer for CNH Industrial.

"The extension of our partnership with IBM offers new paths to efficiency, economies of scale, innovation and growth for our company by allowing us to share and leverage not only technology resources, but also global skills and industry knowledge in key areas such as sustainability, with Fiat and now Chrysler," said Stefano Firenze, head of ICT Infrastructure and Service Delivery acting as Co-Chief Information Officer for CNH Industrial.

About FIAT
Fiat is an international auto group engaged in industrial activities in the automotive sector through companies located in 40 countries and has commercial relationships with customers in approximately 150 countries. The Group designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes and sells vehicles for the mass market under the Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Abarth and Fiat Professional brands and Chrysler brands such as Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram brand vehicles and vehicles with the SRT vehicle performance designation, as well as luxury cars under the Ferrari and Maserati brands. Fiat also operates in the components sector, through Magneti Marelli and Teksid, and in the production systems sector, through Comau, and in after-sales services and products under the Mopar brand name. In addition, the Group provides retail and dealer finance, leasing and rental services in support of the car business through subsidiaries, joint ventures and commercial agreements with specialized financing services providers.

About Chrysler Group LLC
Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, SRT, FIAT and Mopar vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and Town & Country, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Dart, Ram 1500, SRT Viper and Fiat 500. Fiat contributes world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.

About CNH Industrial
CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI) is a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Each of the individual brands belonging to the Group is a major international force in its specific industrial sector: Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Steyr for tractors and agricultural machinery; Case and New Holland Construction for earth moving equipment; Iveco for commercial vehicles; Iveco Bus and Heuliez Bus for buses and coaches; Iveco Astra for quarry and construction vehicles; Magirus for firefighting vehicles; Iveco Defence Vehicles for defence and civil protection; and FPT Industrial for engines and transmissions. More information can be found on the corporate website: www.cnhindustrial.com

About IBM
For information about IBM business and IT services, visit: http://ibm.com/services.  Join the conversation on Twitter at @IBMSourcing or #ITSourcing.

Contacts:
Leslie Monreal-Feil
IBM External Relations (U.S.)
+1-561-862-3074
lmonreal@us.ibm.com

Alessandro Ferrari
IBM External Relations (Italy)
+39-0259624690
alessandro_ferrari@it.ibm.com

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SOURCE IBM