Swiss Post International takes over EDS Export & Distribution Services AG

Swiss Post International (SPI), the international arm of Swiss Post, is buying EDS Export & Distribution Services AG. The Meilen-based company is a market leader in the distribution of newspapers and magazines from Switzerland to kiosks and sales outlets abroad. It will complement SPI which is the market leader in the international delivery of subscription newspapers. With the purchase of EDS, SPI will be able to offer its customers a complete international transport and distribution service for press products.

In order to offer its customers a complete range of services for the international dispatch and worldwide distribution of press products, Swiss Post International (SPI) is acquiring EDS Export & Distribution Services AG in Meilen, with retroactive effect from 1 January 2003. The company has worked in partnership with SPI for many years, and specializes in the dispatch and distribution of printed matter abroad, especially dispatches to kiosks. SPI is the market leader in the international dispatch of subscription newspapers and magazines. Thus the strengths of the two companies complement one another perfectly. With the purchase of EDS, SPI will now be able to offer its customers – especially publishers – a complete service for subscription and non-subscription printed matter: from the collection, addressing, packing and dispatch of periodicals through to the preparation of all transport documentation (export and customs formalities). SPI plans to establish this complete service in the countries with SPI subsidiaries.

EDS, which was founded by Jörg Ramme in 1989, currently employs 8 people, all of whom will keep their jobs. The present location in Meilen will remain, headed by the existing managing director Carsten Vossmeyer.

SPI – a global offering for a growing number of international customers

Today, more than 500 employees work for SPI, the international arm of Swiss Post, which was founded in 1996. SPI has its own companies in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and the USA. Its core business is handling international mailings for business customers. In 2002, SPI achieved a net turnover of CHF 758 million (2001: CHF 668 million).