Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland moves into Flurpark
The new, shared location for Ringier and Axel Springer Switzerland in German-speaking Switzerland has been finalized: The executive management, magazine editorial teams and business units, as well as some support departments, will move to the Flurpark in Zurich West.
The two media companies Ringier and Axel Springer are expanding their cooperation and launching another joint venture as of January 1, 2016. As is known, all Swiss-German and French-Swiss magazine titles of Ringier will be contributed, including their associated online offerings, as well as the French-Swiss quality newspaper Le Temps. Axel Springer will contribute its entire Swiss business. The new company under the name Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland will comprise 29 offerings - including Schweizer Illustrierte, Bilanz, SI Style, Tele and many more - and a total of more than 600 employees.
At a joint internal information event in Zurich on Tuesday evening, the company's new location in German-speaking Switzerland was also announced: It will be the modern Flurpark in Zurich West. Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland will occupy three floors here from the end of 2016. In the coming year, the building will be remodeled according to the needs of the new joint venture and will then also be renamed from Flurpark to Medienpark for the move-in. For the time being, the editorial offices will remain at their current locations in the Ringier Pressehaus on Dufourstrasse and Förrlibuckstrasse. The editorial offices in French-speaking Switzerland will be located in Lausanne.
With the new company, the two partners want to significantly improve their competitiveness in the Swiss reader and advertising market and, in particular, push the digitization of their well-known brands, according to a statement. By joining forces in this way, Ringier and Axel Springer are expanding their existing, successful partnership in Eastern Europe to include the Swiss business. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland will be Marc Walder, and Ralph Büchi will serve as Delegate of the Board of Directors.
In October, there was speculation as to whether the new location could be Lenzburg AG (Werbewoche.ch reported). Ringier is said to have preferred the less expensive canton of Aargau, while Axel Springer pushed for premises in Zürch. (pd/hae)
