Strategic alliance EWG – consisting of ALSO Holding AG (CH), Copaco N.V. (NL) and Esprinet S.p.A. (I) – pushed up first-quarter consolidated net sales by 10% to EUR 1´538 million compared with the same period last year (2006: EUR 1´397 million). For the full year 2007 EWG expects consolidated net sales of around EUR 6.5 billion.

The European Wholesale Group (EWG) – the number three European ICE-distribution organization – increased its consolidated net sales in the first quarter 2007 by 10% to EUR 1´538 million compared with the same period last year (2006: EUR 1´397 million). All EWG partners gained share in their respective markets. Outstanding double digit growth had Eastern Europe with 30% and Spain with 29%, followed by Germany with 19% and the Benelux countries by 11%. Italy, the Nordics and Switzerland showed a one digit growth.

“All three EWG partners continue fine tuning the integration of the respective acquired companies to rapidly exploit market share gains, synergies and productivity improvements”, says Alex Sozonoff, President of EWG. “In 2006 EWG partner Esprinet (I) acquired UMD in Spain and Actebis Computer Italia, ALSO (CH) acquired a majority interest in GNT (FIN) and EWG partner Copaco (NL) bought the Belgian distributor WestCase”, he adds.

EWG was founded in 2002. It offers leading ICT vendors a best-in-class platform to reach more than 60´000 resellers in 16 European countries. The three companies in the alliance in 2006 posted consolidated net sales of EUR 5.7 billion. Since its foundation it has concluded cooperation agreements with strategic vendors such as Canon, Fujitsu Siemens and HP. Together, the EWG partners employ a staff of over 3´000 employees and represent more than 500 vendors.

Further information:
EWG:
Alex Sozonoff, Chairman and President of European Wholesale Group, Tel. +41 41 266 18 02
ALSO:
Maya von Krannichfeldt, Corporate Communications, Tel. +41 41 266 18 07