Lufthansa, Deutsche Post form Web purchasing venture

Lufthansa AG and Deutsche Post AG, Germany’s state-controlled postal service, have formed a joint venture for online purchasing.

The venture, called Trimondo GmbH, will create an Internet marketing Web site to obtain supplies in Europe. More than 100 companies will use the site to market over 2 million items, ranging from tools to computer accessories, according to a Bloomberg report.

The alliance will enable Deutsche Post and Lufthansa AirPlus, the airline’s business-to-business information services unit, to save ”millions in costs,” the companies said.

The cooperation will combine Deutsche Post’s logistics background with the Internet selling experience of AirPlus, which claims to be Germany’s largest Internet business-to-business marketing site, the companies said.

Both partners will provide equal start-up capital. Thomas Loch, managing director of AirPlus’ Pronet division, and Ralf Steffes, sales director at Deutsche Post, will serve as joint managing directors of Trimondo.