Actebis-Also merge confirmed
2011-01-21
After a few weeks of delay, the merge of broadliners Also and Actebis is confirmed. The new company, which will be name Also-Actebis, will be headquartered in Magenswill in Switzerland. With a turnover of about €8b, it will be the third main IT distributor in Europe, behind American Ingram Micro and Tech Data. The former shareholders of Actebis will own 53% of the new company, while their Also counterparts will own the remaining 47%. The executive committee of the new company will include Thomas Weissmann (President), Walter Droege (Vice-President), Klaus Hellmich (CEO), Dr. Ralf Retzko (CFO), Dr. Gustavo Möller-Hergt (Chief Integration Officer), Marc Schnyder (manager for Switzerland), Michael Dressen (manager for Germany and Austria), Laisvunas Butkus (manager for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), Maija Strandberg (manager for Finland), Torben Qvist (manager for Denmark, Norway and Sweden) and Ivan Renaudin (manager for France and the Netherlands). It is yet to be explained how the company plans to manage the merge of its activities in Germany, where both Also and Actebis are present, as well as in Norway, where Also is much stronger than Actebis.
Actebis to acquire Also
2010-08-13
Broadliner Actebis has announced plans to merge with its competitor Also. Actebis is present in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway and Sweden and the Netherlands, while Also is present in Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Switzerland. Thus, both companies complete themselves quite well, except in Germany and Norway where they are both present. This acquisition, if successful, will bring Actebis-Also to true number three on EMEA distribution, and a leader in all the countries where it is present (except France where it is a strong number 3 and Sweden where it remains number 2, because of Also leaving this market a few months ago), with a global turnover of about €7b. The goal for Actebis-Also is to reach and overtake both American leaders in EMEA region, Ingram Micro and Tech Data, Ingram Micro being just a handful million euros ahead. A good way to grow more would be to find another partner in southern Europe, like former EWG member Esprinet, which is currently strong in Italy and Spain. This merger of equals would result in Droege (Actebis owner) holding majority of shares, while Schindler (Also owner) holding a minority. The new entity should trade initialy under Also name, although this could be changed later to Also/Actebis.
