BT extends partnership with Glencore to harmonise global communications infrastructure

From trading offices to mining sites, Glencore to benefit from integrated communications solution

BT today announced a contract with Glencore, one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies, to build and manage Glencore’s new global core network across Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

The consolidated infrastructure will allow all employees to work together more effectively in more than 50 countries by improving access to critical business applications for the marketing and mining of natural resources. BT will also provide a range of collaboration services, including voice, audio conferencing and contact centre services.

Cyril Reol, Global Chief Information Officer of Glencore, said, “We operate globally and deploy critical activities in very remote areas. As a result, we need reliable communications to bring our employees together in real-time, from our trading offices to our mining sites. The recent merger of Glencore and Xstrata presented us with considerable challenges, including those related to the standardisation and management of the network infrastructure and the reliable provision of communication services between our employees. We opted for BT because of its global presence and the quality of its services, giving us the ability to be creative and innovative in the way we leverage technology to meet these challenges. The fact that BT has proven to be a reliable and trusted partner over many years reinforces our confidence that we will achieve reliable and successful results from this ambitious project.”

Corrado Sciolla, president Europe, BT Global Services said, “Leveraging our expertise in the energy and resources sector, we have been working with Glencore since 2004, providing the company with global network services, internet connectivity and a variety of communications services. We are very proud to have been asked to further support Glencore’s growth by consolidating its various networks and integrating its communications services so that its global workforce can collaborate more effectively. The consolidated infrastructure will allow Glencore’s IT teams to orchestrate technology assets in a way that meets the company’s competitive ambitions.”

About Glencore

Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 90 commodities. The Group's operations comprise of over 150 mining and metallurgical sites, oil production assets and agricultural facilities.

With a strong footprint in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, Glencore's industrial and marketing activities are supported by a global network of more than 90 offices located in over 50 countries.

Glencore's customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, oil and food processing. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. Glencore employs around 200,000 people, including contractors.