The world's biggest data networking merger last week has resulted in the formation of the 'new 3Com' - a union of 3Com Corp and US Robotics Corp. Shareholders of both companies have agreed to the merger which creates a company to be known as 3Com, with annual revenue of more than US$5.5 billion. The value of the merger is $8.5 billion, based on the price of 3Com stock before the deal was accepted. 3Com said the company, which has 13,500 employees in 45 countries, would hold technology and market-share leadership in most of the critical areas of the networking industry. Speaking to shareholders in Chicago, Casey Cowell, chairman and chief executive officer of US Robotics, said 3Com and US Robotics could accomplish things that no other networking company in the industry could achieve alone. Mr Cowell becomes vice-chairman of 3Com, with Eric Benhamou retaining his post as chief executive and chairman.
