Hewlett-Packard (HP), the computer manufacturer which employs 1,500 at its inkjet cartridge manufacturing plant in Leixlip, Co Kildare, is adding Windows NT work stations to its Visualize line of machines, a range which previously ran the Unix system only. The 450 MHz Pentium III will sell for £2,000 sterling (€2,995).

The new models, which have been launched in the US, will feature Intel's Pentium III and Pentium III Xeon processors. HP is also reducing the prices on some of its Kayak workstations by up to 9 per cent.