IBM Goes South: Opens Delivery Center in Baton Rouge

By Eric Hochstein

In what is described as the largest deal of its kind in the history of Louisiana,  IBM has announced plans to open an 800-person operation in Baton Rouge for  software development and services maintenance.

Reports say the technology giant finally chose Baton Rouge after a two year search.  The deal forges a unique public-private partnership to develop a new, state-of-the-art delivery center and a riverfront residential-office complex.

Under the agreement, the state will fund expansion of the computer sciences department at Louisiana State University (in Baton Rouge), adding new faculty and classes, and enrolling more students, in order to meet the demands of the world’s largest technology services provider.

IBM will use the facility to deliver a range of software services, including application development, application management and system integration.

IBM is just the latest to announce investment in U.S. domestic outsourcing sector. Canada’s CGI, and U.S.-based companies including Ameritas Technologies, GalaxE Solutions, Novo 1, and Systems In Motion, have also recently announced investments in domestic outsourcing centers, as have Indian outsourcers including WIPRO, TATA, and Infosys.