Hergiswil (Switzerland), December 12th 2006

EWG with double-digit growth in 3rd Quarter 2006

Strategic alliance EWG – consisting of ALSO Holding AG (CH), Copaco N.V. (NL) and Esprinet S.p.A. (I) – posted 22% growth in 3rd quarter 2006 over the same period as last year and increased its consolidated net sales to EUR 1'249 million (Q3/2005: EUR 1’023 million). Organic year-on-year growth on a proforma basis reached 6% with the remainder of the increase being due to GNT’s acquisition of SMG activities.

The European Wholesale Group (EWG) – the number three European ICT-distribution organization – increased its consolidated net sales in the third quarter 2006 by 22% to EUR 1’249 million (Q3/2005: EUR 1’023 million). While a substantial part of the increase is due to GNT’s acquisition, organic growth still reached 6% on a comparable basic. For the first nine months 2006, EWG recorded net revenues of EUR 3’897 million, up 20% from last year’s period (2005: EUR 3’236 million). On proforma basis organic growth reached 7% in the same period.

“Given that market conditions have improved only marginally, EWG has had a very satisfactory performance this year so far”, says Alex Sozonoff, Chairman and President of EWG. ”After 31% for the 1st quarter and 9% for the 2nd quarter, we grew with 22% again double-digit growth in the 3rd quarter”, he adds. “This growth was due on the one hand to acquisitions and on the other hand was derived from broadening our customer base and the careful expansion of our product range”, he explains. “Other highlights of this year have been the merger of the EWG partners ALSO and GNT and various acquisitions of the EWG partners Esprinet and Copaco in November 2006”, he continues. “For the full year 2006 we forecast consolidated net sales in the range of EUR 5.2 - 5.4 bn. EWG continues to grow rapidly as it sees and seizes opportunities to expand along its 3-axes strategy: products, partners and geographies. Since its foundation it has concluded cooperation agreements with strategic vendors such as Canon, Fujitsu Siemens and HP”, he concludes.

EWG was founded in 2002. It offers leading ICT vendors a best-in-class platform to reach more then 60’000 resellers in 14 European countries. The three companies in the alliance in 2005 posted consolidated net sales of EUR 4.8 billion. Together, the EWG partners employ a staff of over 2’700 employees and represent more than 500 vendors.

Further information:
Alex Sozonoff, Chairman and President of European Wholesale Group, Tel. +41 41 266 18 02.