SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of September 2002.
CGI Group Inc.
(Translation of Registrant's Name Into English)
1130 Sherbrooke Street West
5th Floor
Montreal, Quebec
Canada H3A 2M8
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)
Form 20-F Form 40-F |X|
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to
the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.)
Yes No |X|
(If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-___.
Enclosure: Press release dated September 5, 2002.
This Form 6-K shall be deemed incorporated by reference in the Registrant's
Registration Statement on Form S-8, Reg. Nos. 333-13350, 333-66044 and
333-74932.
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION
GrafTech International and CGI enter business process outsourcing
agreement for worldwide finance and accounting services
Wilmington, Delaware, USA and Montreal, Canada, September 5, 2002 -CGI Group
Inc. (CGI) (TSX: GIB.A; NYSE: GIB), a leading provider of end-to-end information
technology and business process services, today announced the signing of a
10-year finance and accounting business process services outsourcing contract
valued at US$36 million with GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE: GTI). GrafTech
is one of the world's largest manufacturers and providers of high quality
natural and synthetic graphite and carbon-based products and services with
operations worldwide, including the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Brazil
and South Africa. CGI will be the delivery arm for certain of GrafTech's finance
and accounting functions, directly supporting GrafTech's worldwide financial
management team from its Global Shared Service Centers. Combining a team of
experienced senior executives in finance and accounting business process
services and proven financial systems design expertise, CGI will deploy best
practices to optimize transactional activities, including accounts payable and
accounts receivable as well as perform certain analytical functions such as
financial business champions, general accounting, cost accounting and analysis
activities.
Gil Playford, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GrafTech, commented, "This
strategic partnership is fundamental to our transformation initiatives and
consistent with previously announced cost reduction activities. Our experience
with CGI in the information technology area has clearly demonstrated the
superior quality and efficiency benefits we can realize when we deploy these
types of outsourcing solutions. This arrangement will enable us to dedicate
proportionally more resources on value-added financial analysis, decision
support and risk management."
This agreement is part of GrafTech's previously announced efforts to implement
high quality, efficient global work processes, including the consolidation and
streamlining of order fulfillment, purchasing, finance and accounting, and human
resource activities. These and other key initiatives are targeted for
substantial completion by the end of 2003.
In 2001, GrafTech selected CGI as its outsourcing partner for information
technology services based on CGI's high quality IT processes, strong expertise
in J.D. Edwards software, and its international presence. CGI has partnered with
GrafTech on the redesign of its information systems and the global
implementation of the J.D. Edwards(R) OneWorld(R) system. The new business
process services arrangement will complement the work to date and effectively
increase the resources to complete the J.D. Edwards project.
Serge Godin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CGI added: "We feel
confident that this alliance will assist GrafTech in meeting their global
integration goals and best practice targets by leveraging our methodologies and
quality standards. Moving forward, we see solid potential for our business
process services model as more and more of our IT outsourcing clients realize
the benefits of outsourcing business functions to CGI as part of a win-win
partnership. Our business process services help companies capitalize upon cost
savings generated through sophisticated execution of operations and economies of
scale."
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About GrafTech International Ltd.
GrafTech International Ltd. is one of the world's largest manufacturers and
providers of high quality natural and synthetic graphite and carbon based
products and services, offering energy solutions to industry-leading customers
worldwide engaged in the manufacture of steel, aluminum, silicon metal,
automotive products and electronics. We have 13 manufacturing facilities in 7
countries and are the leading manufacturer in all of our major product lines. We
produce graphite electrodes that are consumed primarily in the production of
steel in electric arc furnaces, the steel making technology used by all
"mini-mills," and for refining steel in ladle furnaces. We also produce carbon
electrodes that are consumed in the manufacture of silicon metal and cathodes
that are used in the production of aluminum. In addition, we develop and
manufacture natural graphite for use in materials and components for proton
exchange membrane fuel cells and fuel cell systems, thermal interface products
for computer, communications and other applications, fire retardant products for
transportation applications and building and construction materials
applications, industrial thermal management products for high temperature
process applications, and conductive products for batteries and supercapacitor
power storage applications. For additional information on GrafTech
International, call 302-778-8227 or visit our website at
www.graftechinternational.com. For additional information on our flexible
graphite subsidiary, Graftech Inc., call 216-529-3777 or visit its website at
www.graftech.com. For additional information on our High Tech High Temp business
unit, call 216-676-2100 or visit its website at www.HT2.com.
About CGI
Founded in 1976, CGI is the fourth largest independent information technology
services firm in North America, based on its headcount. CGI and its affiliated
companies employ 14,600 professionals. CGI's annualized revenue run-rate totals
CDN$2.1 billion (US$1.3 billion). CGI's order backlog currently totals CDN$10.4
billion (US$6.7 billion). CGI provides end-to-end IT services and business
solutions to more than 3,000 clients worldwide from more than 60 offices. CGI's
shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). They are included in
the TSX 100 Composite Index as well as the S&P/TSX Canadian Information
Technology and Canadian MidCap Indices. Website: www.cgi.com
Forward-Looking Statements
For GrafTech Investors: This news release contains forward-looking statements as
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include
statements about such matters as contract requirements and future contract
performance, resource deployment, cost savings and targets, and partnering and
alliance impacts on other activities and other benefits. We have no duty to
update such statements. Actual future events and circumstances (including future
performance, results and trends) could differ materially from those set forth in
these statements due to various factors. These factors include risks generally
encountered with launch and implementation of new outsourcing activities,
including the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances relating to
current and future needs and resources, changes in regulatory requirements or
operational environments, changes in strategic plans or programs, changes in
global or regional economic and competitive conditions, technological
developments, and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in our
filings with the SEC.
For CGI Investors: All statements in this press release that do not directly and
exclusively relate to historical facts constitute "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the United States Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements represent CGI Group Inc.'s
intentions, plans, expectations,
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and beliefs, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, of
which many are beyond the control of the Company. These factors could cause
actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements.
These factors include and are not restricted to the timing and size of
contracts, acquisitions and other corporate developments; the ability to attract
and retain qualified employees; market competition in the rapidly-evolving
information technology industry; general economic and business conditions,
foreign exchange and other risks identified in the Management's Discussion and
Analysis (MD&A) in CGI Group Inc.'s Annual Report or Form 40-F filed with the
SEC, the Company's Annual Information Form filed with the Canadian securities
authorities, as well as assumptions regarding the foregoing. The words
"believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", and
similar expressions and variations thereof, identify certain of such
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are
made. In particular, statements relating to future revenue from outsourcing
contracts are forward-looking statements. CGI disclaims any intention or
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
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For more information:
GrafTech International Ltd.:
Elise A. Garofalo
Director, Investor Relations
302-778-8210
CGI:
Investor Relations Media and Investor Relations
Julie Creed Ronald White
Vice-President, Investor Relations Director, Investor Relations
(312) 201-4803 (514) 841-3230
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
CGI GROUP INC.
(Registrant)
Date: September 5, 2002 By /s/ Andre Imbeau
Name: Andre Imbeau
Title: Executive Vice-President and
Chief Financial Officer