Orell Füssli and Thalia become Orell Füssli Thalia AG
June 06, 2013 | by Daniela Diethelm
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June 06, 2013, Following the approval of the Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO), the German and Austrian competition authorities have given the green light to the merger of Orell Füssli Book Retailing Ltd and Thalia Bücher AG. Nothing more now stands in the way of the formation of the new Swiss book retailing company under the name of Orell Füssli Thalia AG. Dr. Michele Bomio, the current General Manager of Thalia Bücher AG, is CEO of the new company.
The board of directors of Orell Füssli Thalia AG warmly welcomes the approval of the relevant competition authorities for the merger of Orell Füssli Book Retailing Ltd and Thalia Bücher AG. The two companies will each hold a 50 percent interest in Orell Füssli Thalia AG, which will shortly be formally incorporated with registered office in Zurich. The companies are equally represented on the board of directors, which consists of Michel Kunz, Chairman (Orell Füssli Holding Ltd), Jürg Bodenmann, Vice Chairman (Thalia Bücher AG), Michael Busch (Thalia Holding GmbH) and Dr. Maximilian Hugendubel (Orell Füssli Book Retailing Ltd). Dr. Michele Bomio (the current General Manager of Thalia Bücher AG) has been appointed CEO.
The actual amalgamation of the activities of the two existing companies and the commencement of operations by Orell Füssli Thalia AG are planned to take place at the beginning of October 2013.
Orell Füssli and Thalia aim through this merger to confront the challenges facing them in the book retailing market. Those responsible are convinced that the new undertaking will create the preconditions to enable it to hold its own against the large international marketers, especially in the online business.
Orell Füssli is an international industrial and trading group focusing on the core businesses of banknote & security printing, industrial systems used in the individualisation of security documents and branded products, and book retailing. The company generates sales of some CHF 300 million with about 1 000 employees at locations in 10 countries and is listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange. Orell Füssli Book Retailing Ltd is a subsidiary of Orell Füssli Holding Ltd and has its registered office in Zurich.
Key figures Orell Füssli book Retailing Ltd
Number of branches: 14 Number of employees: 400 Sales in 2012: CHF 131 million Orell Füssli was established in 1519. More information at http://english.books.ch/home.
Key figures of Thalia Bücher AG
Number of branches: 22 Number of employees: 650 Sales 2012: CHF 131 million
In book retailing in Switzerland since 2000 through the acquisition of Jäggi and Stauffacher. More information at www.thalia.ch.
Media Contact:
Daniela Diethelm Corporate Communications phone 044 466 72 73 media@orellfuessli.com
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Source: Daniela Diethelm, Press release