EANS-News: Valora Holding AG Valora acquires K. Schmelzer- J. Bettenhausen
GmbH & Co KG, Austria´s leading railway station bookseller
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely
responsible for the content of this announcement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Company Information
Muttenz, October 29, 2011 (euro adhoc) - Valora acquires K. Schmelzer- J.
Bettenhausen GmbH & Co KG, Austria´s leading railway station bookseller, thus
extending its Retail division´s geographic market coverage
- Purchase to add 12 outlets in prime locations
- All German-speaking national markets now covered
Purchase to add 12 outlets in prime locations
With effect from January 1, 2012, Valora has acquired K. Schmelzer- J.
Bettenhausen GmbH & Co KG (Schmelzer-Bettenhausen), Austria´s leading railway
station bookseller. The transaction will raise Valora´s previous 22% minority
interest to one of full ownership of this well-established company, originally
founded in 1926. Under its "press&more" banner, Schmelzer-Bettenhausen operates
12 stores at top-quality sites. The company, which has a staff of some 70
employees, generated turnover of just over EUR 12 million in 2010.
All German-speaking national markets now covered
Valora´s acquisition of Schmelzer-Bettenhausen is an important element in the
Group´s further expansion of its market activities in the German-speaking
European markets (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). 8 of the 12 stores Valora
has purchased are located in Austria´s largest railway stations, with another
two at Vienna airport. Increasing passenger numbers on Austrian Federal Railways
and the substantial investments Austria is making in its railway infrastructure
offer very attractive opportunities for further profitable growth. Valora sees
additional potential in product-range streamlining and in the deployment in
Austria of the Group´s established and highly successful "Press&Books" format,
whose current network comprises some 200 outlets in Germany and Switzerland.
Commenting on the transaction, Thomas Vollmoeller, Valora´s CEO, said, "We are
delighted to have been able to acquire Austria´s leading railway station
bookseller. This not only enables us to fill a major geographic gap in our
network, but also provides us with an excellent opportunity to build on our
skills in this area."
K. Schmelzer- J. Bettenhausen GmbH & Co KG
Under its "press&more" banner, the company operates 12 stores selling press
products and travel literature at major railway stations in Austria and at
Vienna airport. The range of titles on offer includes newspapers, periodicals
and paperbacks, as well as best-selling non-fiction and literature. A selection
of food and non-food items completes the product range. The company´s previous
majority shareholder was Morawa, Austria´s largest press distributor.
Further inquiry note:
Investor Relations:
Mladen Tomic
Tel.: +41 58 789 12 20
E-Mail: mladen.tomic@valora.com
oder
Media Relations:
Stefania Misteli
Tel.: +41 58 789 12 01
E-Mail: stefania.misteli@valora.com
end of announcement euro adhoc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
company: Valora Holding AG
Hofackerstrasse 40
CH-4132 Muttenz
phone: +41 61 467 20 20
FAX: +41 58 789 12 12
mail: info@valora.com
WWW: www.valora.com
sector: Retail
ISIN: CH0002088976
indexes:
stockmarkets: stock market: BX Berne eXchange, Main Standard: SIX Swiss Exchange
language: English