
Hoofddorp, 13 August 2008 - Sanoma Men’s Magazines, part of Sanoma Magazines’ Dutch operations Sanoma Uitgevers, has acquired the shares of European Auto Trader B.V. European Auto Trader is the publisher of the magazines Auto Trader, Classic Trader, Motor Trader, Transport Trader and Caravan & Camper Trader in the Benelux region. Its website Auto Trader is one of the largest websites focused on used cars with one million unique visitors per month. By acquiring Auto Trader, Sanoma Uitgevers enforces its leading position in the automotive media market.
The acquisition fits Sanoma Uitgevers’ strategy to service customers as much as possible within specific interest areas like parenting, food, home and cars. For Sanoma Uitgevers, this acquisition is an important step in realising its ambitions in digital media.Auke Visser, CEO of Sanoma Men’s Magazines, is happy with this acquisition: “Auto Trader fits the digital media ambitions of Sanoma Men’s Magazines in the automotive segment. Next to our well-know car magazine AutoWeek, we have also been active with magazines, websites and events for a long time - just consider Formule1, Truckstar with its large, annual festival and magazines like Moto ’73 and Motor.“Since 1998 we have been very active in the automotive segment online. A site focusing on used cars like Auto Trader was missing from our portfolio. Auto Trader and AutoWeek are a perfect match. We have worked together for years already online, and now we are able to deepen this co-operation,” Eric Ariëns, Sanoma Men’s Magazines’ Publisher Automotive, adds.“We are convinced that we can realise our growth ambitions even better as part of a strong party like Sanoma Uitgevers. Together with AutoWeek, we will form a very strong, market leading platform for buying and selling cars for garages as well as for individual consumers,” comments Paul Wessels, Managing Director of Auto Trader.The net sales of European Auto Trader B.V. in the financial year 2007/2008 amounted to €9.5 million. Auto Trader is located in Maarssen, the Netherlands, and employs 68 people (full-time equivalents).
About Sanoma Uitgevers:
With almost 80 consumer magazines (including accompanying extensions and events) and more than 125 websites Sanoma Uitgevers B.V. is the largest multi media publisher in the Netherlands. In 2007 Sanoma Uitgevers and its subsidiaries - Sanoma Magazines Netherlands - generated net sales of €539.8 million. In Hoofddorp approximately 1,100 employees work together in editorial teams and support departments. The subsidiaries Sanoma Men’s Magazines, Jonge Gezinnen, Mood for Magazines and ilse media add an additional 750 employees.
Since 2001 Sanoma Uitgevers is part of Sanoma Magazines. Sanoma Magazines is one of the largest consumer magazine publishers in Europe. The company publishes more than 300 magazines in thirteen different countries. Apart from developing this strong portfolio of magazine brands, Sanoma Magazines is expanding its business to digital media platforms. Sanoma Magazines is a Division of SanomaWSOY, a strong European media group operating in diverse fields of media in more than twenty European countries.
For more information, please contact (not for publication):
Sanoma Uitgevers Communications
Trudy de Jong
- Phone : +3123565585
- E-mail: t.de.jong@sanoma-uitgevers.nl

