Fujitsu and Siemens are expected to complete their agreement to merge computer operations on 24 August. The Japanese-German combination will officially begin life on 1 October in an ambitious attempt to take on the biggest names in enterprise computing. A recent report in a German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche suggested major snags in the joint-venture which will go under the Fujitsu Siemens Computers name and unify PC, Unix workstation, mainframe and supercomputer lines across Europe. The publication suggested that disagreements on who should lead the company had slowed progress. However, both parties denied that there was any impediment to the deal going through on time. "As far as Fujitsu Siemens is concerned the venture is still on track," said Alan Norman, marketing director for Siemens Computer Systems. "The discussions are going very well and we're still basically on schedule. It may have taken slightly longer than we originally thought but there isn't a major problem." A spokeswoman for Fujitsu Computers said, "Everything is on track and going ahead." Sources close to the venture said that there will be an announcement on 24 August, confirming details. At a press conference on that date, the company will also state that its headquarters will be in The Netherlands and detail the management structure.