Strategic alliance EWG – composed of ALSO Holding AG (CH), Copaco N.V. (NL), Esprinet S.p.A. (I) and GNT-Group (FIN) – in 2005 posted consolidated net sales of EUR 4.8 billion and despite difficult market conditions managed to grow by 9% compared with the previous year (2004: EUR 4.4 billion). EWG has thus firmly established its position as the number three ICT-distributor in Europe. All four partners achieved profitable growth.

The European Wholesale Group (EWG) – the number three European ICT-distribution organization – increased its consolidated net sales in 2005 by 9% to EUR 4.8 billion (2004: EUR 4.4 billion). Quarterly growth has been accelerating throughout 2005. After 3% in the 1st quarter, 8% in the 2nd and 10% in the 3rd quarter EWG managed to grow 12% in the 4th quarter posting record quarterly sales of EUR 1.5 billion. In 2005, Germany, The Netherlands and the Nordics achieved the highest growth, while Switzerland remained slightly below last year’s figures.

“EWG can look back on an extremely successful year,” says Thomas C. Weissmann, President of EWG and CEO of EWG partner ALSO. “The alliance’s member companies consolidated their market position in a difficult market environment and once again generated profitable organic growth,” he adds. “We continue to develop and expand the business around our four defined axes: Customer Segments, Product Areas, Geographies and Vendor Partners. We broadened our customer base, expanded our product range, and intensified our relations with strategic vendors,” he explains. “In early November 2005, after its successes with HP and Fujitsu Siemens Corporation, EWG succeeded in finalizing another strategic partnership at European level with Canon Europe. Other highlights in 2005 have been Esprinet’s acquisition of EWG partner MemorySet, Copaco’s acquisition of DMax in Belgium and GNT’s acquisition of Santech Micro Group’s Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian operations in Finland, Norway and Sweden, as well as its acquisition of music distributor Hot One Group in Finland. All these steps further strengthen the alliance’s market position,” he concludes.

EWG was founded in 2002. It offers leading ICT vendors a best-in-class platform to reach more then 60’000 resellers in 14 European countries. At December 31st, 2005, the EWG partners together employed a staff of 2’400.

Further information:
EWG: Thomas C. Weissmann, President of European Wholesale Group, Tel. +41 41 266 18 02
ALSO: Maya von Krannichfeldt, Corporate Communications, Tel. +41 41 266 18 07