HP has won a multi-year contract to operate data center services of a Finland-based manufacturer of large industrial cranes. The services include hosting of application servers, back-up infrastructure and databases.

The contract with Konecranes (the client) is for seven years, starting in 2010 and ready for implementation by 2012. Seven Konecranes employees will join HP next year, under the agreement.

"Through this agreement we will be able to offer a standardized solution for IT data services," Konecranes CIO Antti Koskelin said in a statement. "This new arrangement will also give us the opportunity to operate world-class business applications."

Konecranes is present in 43 countries, providing lifting equipment to manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. The company's sales revenue in 2008 totaled €2,103 million, according to a statement.