TNT Post shareholder in Internet portal
Sanoma Uitgevers, formerly VNU Magazines The Netherlands, and TPG, today announced their intention to join forces in the field of electronic mail delivery in The Netherlands. TPG will acquire the business-to-business direct marketing company, VNU Directview, from VNU. In addition, Sanoma Uitgevers and VNU will gradually out-source the delivery of their magazines to TPG.
Sanoma Uitgevers and TPG intend to cooperate in the electronic delivery of documents and direct mail via the Internet. Ilse, the biggest Dutch consumer Internet portal of Sanoma Uitgevers, and Privver, the electronic mail box service of TPG, will be involved in this operation.
TNT Post will get a share of between 10 and 20 per cent in Ilse media groep and Sanoma will get about the same share in Privver. VNU, Sanoma Uitgevers and TPG will jointly investigate further cooperation in e-distribution in the future.
Privver is an innovator in electronic mail distribution, offering consumers the option to receive electronic mail from select vendors such as their banks, telephone companies and electricity companies. With approximately 120 million page visits a month, Ilse media groep, with its search engine Ilse and portals Startpagina, Vrouw Online and NU, is The Netherlands’ number one Internet destination.
TPG intends to acquire the business-to-business direct marketing company VNU Directview from VNU. To this end, VNU and TPG have signed a letter of intent. The relevant authorities (SER) have been informed and the Works Councils have been asked to advise. The existing cooperation between VNU Directview and the VNU companies Gouden Gids and VNU Business Publications will be continued.
With approximately 140 employees and revenues of approximately 6 million euro, VNU Directview is The Netherlands’ market leader providing (direct) marketing information and related database marketing services for the business-to-business market. VNU Directview offers enhanced databases with information on all Dutch companies. With its company Omnidata, TPG is already active in the field of direct marketing data on the Dutch consumer market and will now be able to further expand its position in the business-to-business market.
Sanoma Uitgevers has decided to gradually cease the activities of its franchise organization Media Expresse, now that this is no longer considered a core activity. Existing contracts with franchisers will be respected but not renewed. The delivery of magazines of Sanoma Uitgevers and VNU to subscribers will be gradually taken over by the TPG networks.
Source: TPG release
