Origin, the Utrecht based Dutch information technology company has announced it will implement a new split DB/DC pension scheme before the summer of 1999.

The new scheme follows Origin's merger two years ago with the processing centre of the Dutch Phillips electronic group, bringing fund assets to around Nlg900m ($444m), and creating a need to harmonise labour and benefit conditions.

Employee earnings up to Nlg80,000 will remain in the fund's previous DB scheme, with pensionable salary above this figure, set now to be based on gross income and include overtime pay, to be transferred to a DC scheme.

René Upperman, managing director of the Origin scheme says: We are trying to tailor our benefits to our employees who are looking for more flexible, portable pension schemes and increasingly taking early retirement.""