After the theory the practice

Print In the course of a cross-share
the commercial printing activities of the Vogt-Schild Group with AZ Print
merged. The first measures have already been implemented.In the middle of last year, the four
Media houses AZ Media Group (publisher of the Aargauer Zeitung),
Vogt-Schild Group (Solothurner Zeitung), Dietschi AG
(Oltener Tagblatt) and Zofinger Tagblatt AG (Zofinger Tagblatt) announced
that they will support the model and the cooperation "Mittelland
Zeitung" for an unlimited period and even want to expand it. As a result
the AZ Media Group acquired the shares held by PubliGroupe/Publicitas.
35-percent stake in the Vogt-Schild Group acquired, in the
In return, AZ Medien has transferred the advertising management for the newspaper sector to the
PubliGroupe transferred.

In addition to these publishing decisions, AZ Medien and
Vogt-Schild at the end of June about a merger and realignment
of its print activities. AZ Medien, for example, has acquired 25 percent
in the new commercial printing company Vogt-Schild Druck AG, in which
in which VS Holding AG holds 75 percent. The interest in the newspaper printing
is exactly the opposite, with AZ Medien holding the majority here (see chart).

"With this step, Aarau has the lead in newspaper printing and Derendingen
took the lead in commercial printing," summarizes Rolf Steiner,
Managing Director of Vogt-Schild Druck AG, which has since added new
participation ratios together and adds: "For this purpose, a
Mutual Risk Sharing Agreed."

Summary of three sites
With this rebuild at Vogt-Schild Druck, concrete measures have already been
has taken place. Thus, by the end of 2005, the previous
Vogt-Schild's commercial printing activities in the approximately five kilometer
headquarters in Derendingen, Germany. Also parts
of the former AZ Print (formerly the commercial printing division of AZ Medien),
have already been relocated from Aarau to Derendingen. In addition to field service
and office staff and prepress specialists,
already working in Derendingen, the area is currently being
print finishing transferred. This transfer is scheduled to take place by the end of
March will be completely finished.

The sheetfed and web offset presses in Aarau at this site would be
no longer renewed and according to the timetable by the end of 2008 at the latest.
be shut down. The service life of the machines dictate here how
will continue to be produced in Aarau for a long time. "This measure is a
Consolidation. Our main aim is to eliminate overcapacities from the
market," says Steiner, explaining this step, which from 2007 onwards will be
invest again, but in no case the printing capacities
wants to increase.

Realignment Commercial Printing
With the merging of the office departments of the locations
Solothurn, Derendingen and Aarau, organizational changes were made at the same time.
changes have been made. Since then, Vogt-Schild Druck has been relying on two
Area teams (East/West) made up of employees from Sales,
the back office and from prepress. "With this
step, we have simultaneously optimized customer service," explains
Rolf Steiner a first, already realized advantage of the
Reorganization. In order to provide even better customer service in the
regions of Zurich and eastern Switzerland, is expected to be the
existing Zurich sales office by one person.

Focus on periodicals
All these measures go hand in hand with the business strategy of Vogt-Schild
Druck AG to establish itself as the first address in the field of the production of
periodicals. To this end, the company intends to do even more like
previously act as general contractor. At the center of activities
stands the complete realization of magazines of the own publishing house
and of customer magazines as well as periodical publications. The
Offer extends from project management through production, shipping
and logistics through to subscription management, editorial
Support up to the collection of charges. Do not neglect, but
Vogt-Schild Druck AG wants to constantly optimize the
Production processes: "The industrialized production of smaller
and medium runs, we want to continue to drive them forward," emphasizes Rolf
Steiner.

Better purchasing conditions thanks to larger volume
As a result of the merger of the three sites, the company will be
and thus as a larger buyer from suppliers in the future also from
can benefit from better purchasing conditions.

But Steiner puts these potential savings into perspective: "The better
Conditions for paper, ink and the like will hardly suffice,
to compensate for the current price increases. We therefore see ourselves
forced to pass them on." Here, too, Steiner relies on the
comprehensive advice: It is particularly important here, he says, to provide customers with
to show alternatives and to search for a solution with the customer.

Jürgen Franck