Action wins major contract with GlobalServe

Company will also outsource field support to Nextra

Action Computer Supplies, a mail order and online distributor, has won a £15m contract with IT procurement firm GlobalServe to work as the company's UK fulfilment agent.

Action will take over the contract from Compelsource, the former desktop services arm of Compel, which was taken over by Specialist Computer Holdings in March.

In addition, Action has agreed to outsource its field support and maintenance services to Nextra, a subsidiary of telecom and services company Telenor.

Nextra will provide Action with a data centre in Manchester so that the distributor can eventually establish an application service provider programme around Microsoft products, storage and back-up.

"These initiatives mean Action can now strike deals with UK business customers while delivering pan-European or global solutions," said David Palk, Action's chief executive.

The announcements came as the company unveiled interim results showing a return to profit. For the six months ended 28 February it reported pre-tax profits of £384,000 on turnover of £137m.