News
- Launch of DeutschlandCard in early March
- Start of PPP project "Würzburg integrates!"
- Continued expansion of the service center network
- Extension of the supply chain in Asia
arvato AG, the international media and communication services
subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG, has its sights set on continued growth
in fiscal year 2008. Our goal is to forge ahead with our successful
development and boost our sales, earnings and workforce again this year
,
Rolf Buch (43), CEO of arvato AG and a member of the Executive Board of
Bertelsmann AG, said today in Gütersloh. The first projects of the current
fiscal year have already been successfully kicked off, and our future strategy
provides a solid foundation for our positive long-term development.
Buch
identified three factors that form the core of his future strategy. First,
three-dimensional growth – developing new services, tapping new customer
segments and expanding the company’s market presence inside and outside Germany.
Second, the company’s integrated service range: Our customers want simple,
all-round solutions from a single source, not parts of a jigsaw puzzle that they
have to assemble themselves
, the executive said. We offer these types of
package solutions. The breadth of arvato`s capacities is unrivaled in its market.
Third, the company`s four-module structure, the so-called arvato DNA: a unique combination
of innovation, customer orientation, performance and particularly employees. Companies
no longer try to stand out by means of technology, which is readily available in the
market. What matters now is what employees and teams do with it.
According to Buch,
the combination of these factors is the basis for arvato`s future success and continued
growth.
A series of projects for this fiscal year shows that the company remains on
its successful course. For example, the DeutschlandCard went live at the start
of March. More than 2 million consumers are already actively using the new
multi-partner reward card. "The strong interest in the DeutschlandCard shows
that a new, compelling offer in this area was needed and is being readily embraced
by consumers," Buch said. Arvato is also profiting from the new offer: The
DeutschlandCard is our first open customer loyalty system. It helps us expand
our know-how and our portfolio of services as well as address new customers.
The PPP project "Würzburg integrates!" was officially launched at the beginning
of April with the opening of a networked office for residents. We are the only
provider of this solution in Germany and are pursuing promising leads with other cities.
According to Buch, such projects have highly interesting market potential for arvato
and offer a sustainable benefit for German government officials. Rolf Buch said:
Our government officials must improve their performance. And ‘Würzburg integrates!’
points to significant savings potential combined with marked benefits for residents
– because the e-government platform that arvato has developed helps improve the
quality of services, simplify processes and speed up administrative procedures.
Another growth topic relates to the expansion of the service center network.
In March, arvato took over additional locations of Vivento Customer Services (VCS)
with more than 600 employees. In doing so, arvato is continuing to markedly expand
its national network of service centers this year and is reinforcing its leading
position in the German market for customer communication, an area with extensive
untapped potential. In spring 2007, arvato took over the first five VCS locations.
The locations that we acquired last year have already impressed the first new
customers with the quality of their services
, said Buch, pointing to the positive
impact of the first project. Also on the agenda is the expansion of arvato`s market
presence in southern Europe. We see considerable potential here – just as we do in
the rest of Europe – and are currently negotiating possible acquisitions with various
partners.
The top priority in the printing business is the continued expansion
and completion of the services chain. arvato print will forge ahead with its
targeted transformation into an integrated provider of customized solutions related
to print production.
As examples for the expansion of the service portfolio Buch
mentioned numerous developments in the field of pre-press services and the enhancement
of the successful businesses of corporate publishing. In doing so the growth strategy
of arvato print shall systematically be pursued and the current challenges in Spain
be mastered. There the sales force is being strengthened and reorganized so that it
can take a more forceful approach to the market. A comprehensive cost-cutting program
will be launched at the joint venture Prinovis. Overall, Buch expressed optimism:
The printing business offers significant growth potential, and we are currently
observing stable to slightly rising prices.
In 2007, the future direction of
the storage media business was charted with the founding of arvato digital services.
According to Buch, arvato will focus on building and extending its supply chain in
Asia this year. He considers the prospects for arvato to be very good in the Asian
markets. We are the only company in the digital services area with a solid
market presence in these markets so far. Incidentally, we strengthened this presence
with the acquisition of a Chinese replicator last year.
Over the medium term,
Buch said that arvato might pre-produce products in Asia and then deliver them to the
North American market. arvato digital services is integrating the gnab technology into
its portfolio to continue to expand its value chain and service line-up. As a result,
arvato digital services offers its customers efficient, economical and safe digital
distribution,
Rolf Buch said.
We are in good shape for the future
, Buch said in conclusion. Our
three-dimensional growth strategy continues to work. We offer our customers
customized package solutions from a single source and, thanks to our network,
are right where they need us. With just the sort of services that they require.
And with creative and dedicated employees. This is why we will continue our successful
course in the future and reach our growth targets.
About arvato:
With more than 270 subsidiaries worldwide, arvato AG is one of the biggest internationally networked media
and communication services providers. In fiscal 2007, the group of companies that is part of Bertelsmann AG
generated sales of € 4.917 bn. arvato’s worldwide subsidiaries employ more than 52,000 people. arvato AG
comprises the divisions arvato print (rotogravure and offset printers in Europe and the United States),
arvato services (financial services/data management, full-service CRM services, logistics/supply chain management
and direct distribution of knowledge media), arvato digital services (e.g. replication, fulfillment,
distribution/supply chain management, financial services and electronic content distribution) and arvato systems
(international provider of qualified and customized IT services) as well as empolis, a leading provider of company-wide
content and knowledge management solutions, and arvato mobile, a provider of digital entertainment content and interactive applications.
www.arvato.com.
arvato AG
Public Relations
Tel.: 05241/80 34 08
Fax: 05241/80 33 15