CENTERPRISE International is geared up for a healthy share of a £30million contract to supply 55,000 computers to the National Health Service in just six months.

The Basingstoke-headquartered company, which is the UK's largest manufacturer of custom-built PCs, beat off fierce competition to be named by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency as one of three PC giants to supply the new technology.

The other two companies involved are Dell, in Bracknell, and Elonex, in north London.

The contract is part of the National Programme for IT.

Centerprise, which can manufacture 10,000 units a day at its facility on Hampshire International Business Park in Chineham, employs 225 staff - some of whom have been specially taken on to meet the NHS demand.

The first order for 13 PCs came at the beginning of this week, and Stuart Green, strategic director at Centerprise, said: "This is incredibly welcome news. It's been a tough year and a tough environment for IT since 9/11.

"It's a breath of fresh air to have this level of commitment and to beat many multi-nationals. It is especially good for a Basingstoke company."

He said the technology sector was now showing more positive signs and Centerprise is shortlisted for another couple of contracts, which should be announced soon.

Mr Green said: "Hopefully we'll be talking again before Christmas."

The majority of the NHS PCs will be manufactured in Basingstoke, although the company's new Caerphilly plant opened for warehousing on Monday and will come on stream for manufacturing early next year.

Rafi Razzak (pictured), the founder and managing director of Centerprise, told Gazette Business: "With a bedrock of financial strength and 12 years' experience working hand-in-hand with the MoD, local education authorities and county councils, Centerprise has a track record and stability to meet the NHS' requirements."

He added: "We look forward to providing IT directors and managers in the NHS with a quality build and level of support that surpasses their expectations."

Centerprise is confident that it will win a major share of the £30million pot as its price includes installation of the PCs.

It plans to make full use of its nationwide network of full-time engineers to provide an "install-to-desk" service in which the PC is not only delivered but also unpacked and installed ready for immediate use.

Centerprise has had three desktop PCs and one laptop selected under the NHS scheme. They are the Centerprise NHS Desktop PC, the Centerprise NHS Mini-Tower PC, the Centerprise NHS Small Space Desktop PC and the Centerprise NHS Laptop.

Thanks to the National Programme for IT, hospitals, primary care trusts and specialist clinics across the country have received a wel-come cash injection to purchase IT equipment.

Letters have gone out to all 28 strategic health authorities stressing the importance of urgent action and authorising them to use the allocated funds to place orders with one of the three selected PC manufacturers within the next 30 days.

The 55,000 PCs must be purchased and installed into the NHS by March 31 next year.