Tamedia taking over the majority interest of Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG – Der Landbote as an effective enhancement of the Zurich regional papers

Zurich, 27 August 2013 – The Swiss media group Tamedia is exercising its right of first refusal and will take over the majority interest in Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG. The family who owns Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG had informed Tamedia earlier of its intent to sell its 70.5 percent interest to the publisher of the Winterthur daily paper “Der Landbote”. As a result, Tamedia's holdings will increase to 90.5 percent. The remaining 9.5 percent of the shares will continue to be held by another individual shareholder.
 

Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG and Tamedia have been associated for the past few years already. Tamedia has held a 20 percent share of the Winterthur-based media company since 2005, while Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG has been handling Tamedia's largest magazine print job. In addition, since 2011 Der Landbote has been working in partnership with the Zürcher Unterländer and Zürichsee-Zeitung newspapers, both of which are published by Tamedia.

With this takeover, all of the activities and employees of Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG will be transferred to Tamedia. In addition to the daily newspaper Der Landbote and the weekly Winterthurer Stadtanzeiger, this also includes the sheet-fed, rotary offset and digital printing facility specializing in customer magazines, magazines and business stationery, pre-press services, as well as various real estate properties.

Der Landbote as an effective enhancement of the Zurich regional papers

Der Landbote will act as a boost to the group of Zurich regional newspapers (ZRZ), which includes the partners Zürcher Unterländer, Zürcher Oberländer and Zürichsee-Zeitung. Der Landbote is intended to work closely with the Zürcher Unterländer, Zürcher Oberländer and Zürichsee-Zeitung in connection with regional reports and publishing. The editorial offices will remain in Winterthur. With regard to international and national issues, the Zurich regional papers will share information with BZ Berner Zeitung. Tamedia plans furthermore to continue unchanged the combined advertising market of the Zurich regional newspapers and the introduction of attractive combination modules through the leading combined advertising system Metropool.
 

The purchase price (enterprise value) for 70.5 percent of the shares of Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG is around CHF 49.6 million (CHF 70.4 million for 100 percent of the shares). The real estate and the annex fund of Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG were valued by Tamedia at approximately CHF 35 million (CHF 50 million for 100 percent of the shares). The takeover will be reported to the Swiss Federal Competition Commission and is subject to its approval.