Marketing "Specialist Media" Changes Owners

The "Specialist Media" unit of Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland will be transferred to Zürichsee Werbe AG as of January 1, 2017. The sale of the marketing unit is part of the focus on the core business of Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland, the publication and publishing of magazines and newspapers as well as the associated digital offerings, and an associated adjustment of the portfolio.

The "Specialized Media" division of Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland manages the marketing of advertisements in their magazines, online platforms or other advertising media on behalf of third-party companies, associations and other organizations. The corresponding advertising media are produced independently by the customers and include special magazines and publications from the areas of health, technology and web/mobile.

As of January 2017, the Trade Media unit will have a new owner. Zürichsee Werbe AG, based in Stäfa, will then be responsible for the business. It will take over the specialist media division from Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland with all six employees.

Ralph Büchi, Delegate of the Board of Directors Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz, on the reasons for the sale: "With the establishment of the joint venture Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz at the beginning of the year, we have focused our company even more strongly on our core business: the editing and publishing of magazines and newspapers, including digital offerings. The specialist media unit represents another core competence, which we have completely outsourced to Admeira for our in-house titles. The sale of the specialist media marketing unit to Zürichsee Werbe AG is part of the consistent adjustment of the portfolio and allows the unit to develop optimally under the new management."

Beat Lauber, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zürichsee Medien AG, parent company of Zürichsee Werbe AG, Radio Bern1 and Radio Zürisee: "We are very pleased that we have succeeded in gaining six employees with many years of expertise in advertising marketing through the acquisition of the specialist media division from Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz. In the new formation, we want to further consolidate and expand our leading position in the Swiss market in the marketing of trade magazines."

With Zürichsee Werbe AG, the Trade Media division has gained an owner who, with the acquisition, can strategically strengthen one of its most important core areas and thus continue to shape the future of the acquired division in a targeted manner. The existing customer relationships will be taken over in full by Zürichsee Werbe AG and will not be affected by the sale.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.