Growing Internet Business

Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG reports revnue of 87.8 million Euro in 2010

Bonn – The Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG (www.vnrag.de) is confident that it has overcome the effects of the financial and economic crisis and is now investing heavily in new business fields. Net revenue for business year 2010 amounted to 87.8 million Euro (2009: 92.4 million Euro). According to CEO Helmut Graf, “We achieved the good earnings to which we are accustomed despite the planned decline in revenue and recorded a double-digit return. Major revenue drivers included financial planning products and computer titles. Our Internet business is growing as well, and we plan further expansion in that area. We suffered losses in the marketing, self-management and personnel segments.”

The Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG employs 305 people in Bonn. Total revenue for the plc and its sister organization, FID Verlag GmbH, amounted to 115 million Euro (2009: 120 million Euro). The publishing group is ranked by buchreport as the eighth-largest specialty publisher in Germany and as thirteenth among all publishing firms.

Diversity helps

Graf sees a number of advantages to be gained in future from the broad spectrum of subjects covered by the publishing group, which issues over 200 products, most of them by subscription. “We are constantly adding new revenue drivers with our wide range of core themes, which include health and invalid care, school, investment, labour law, communication, computers and self-management. Specialization enables us to delve deeply into individual topics and fields of interest.” He noted that the publishing group plans to continue developing new products for new segments in future as well.

Continued reliance on the Internet

Like other publishers, the Verlag für die deutsche Wirtschaft recognizes significant growth potential in online publications. Over 50 percent of new subscribers have been acquired through the Internet. The objective now is to continue promoting productive business models. “The Internet offers a unique opportunity to develop portals with a broad reach and then to focus on entering into direct dialogue with customers. With the expert portal www.experto.de we have established a successful model in Germany in which consulting content is created by experts for the benefit of private and business customers,” adds Graf. Other portals for such subjects as finance, real estate and sport are now being planned. The publishing group is also expanding its programme of paid-content models and stepping up efforts to link traditional print media with social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Looking for new employees

According to the Verlag für die deutsche Wirtschaft, the number of employees tasked with developing new sales channels in the Internet has risen to 42. That equates to an increase of 50 percent over the past three years. According to Graf, the publishing group offers a trainee programme for at least 10 candidates every year. “We are now looking for new employees who have a strong interest in and sound knowledge of the Internet. But they are difficult to find. That seems somewhat strange, as the first Facebook generation must certainly have graduated from university by now.”

Business abroad

Business abroad remained stable in 2010. Revenue amounted to 16 million Euro, as in 2009. The publishing group is active in eight foreign countries: Austria, France, Great Britain, Poland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland and South Africa. The group is among the market leaders in Romania, Poland and South Africa.

Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG

6 May 2011

For further information:
Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG, Theodor-Heuss-Str. 2-4, 53177 Bonn,

Mechthild Alves, PR-Managerin, Tel.: 0228/8205-7281, Fax: 0228/8205-5288, e-mail: mal@vnr.de , www.vnrag.de , www.experto.de

The publishing group:

The business operations of the Verlag für die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG are distributed among eight specialty publishers in order to ensure maximum subject coverage and customer reach: BWRmed!a, Fachverlag für Computerwissen, Fachverlag für Kommunikation und Management, Fachverlag für Marketing und Trendinformationen, GeVestor Financial Publishing Group, Orgenda Verlag für persönliche Weiterentwicklung, Verlag International, Verlag Pro Schule / Kita / Soziales / PPM PRO PflegeManagement. The group is ranked by buchreport as the eighth-largest specialty publisher in Germany and as thirteenth among all publishers. Within the context of its commitment to corporate social responsibility, the group awards the renowned Cicero Speaker’s Prize, organizes the annual Petersberger Forum on social issues and presents the Ecumenical Sermon Award.