http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBV3RMUG2E.htmlNEW YORK (AP) - International Business Machines Corp. is selling a majority stake in its desktop and laptop computer business for to China's biggest computer maker, a deal that shifts IBM to a peripheral role in a corner of the technology industry it pioneered.
The deal with Beijing-based Lenovo Group Ltd. creates a joint venture that would own the IBM-brand personal computer business, which had sales of nearly $13 billion over 12 months ended in September. snip
IBM still designs its ThinkPad laptops and ThinkCentre desktops, but no longer manufactures them at any plants it owns alone. Instead, all its PCs are either produced through joint ventures or outsourced to other manufacturers. snip
The company outsources its PC production to equipment makers Solectron Corp., Sanmina Corp., Wistron Corp. and Quanta Computer Inc. Sanmina bought the last company-run PC plant in 2003.
IBM, based in Armonk, N.Y., has nearly 320,000 employees.
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