29 Nov, 2005
Esprinet´s acquisition of MemorySet strengthens EWG

EWG partner Esprinet (Italy) has signed a binding agreement to acquire EWG partner MemorySet (Spain). Esprinet with more than EUR 1.5 bn in revenues for 2004 is the Italian market leader in information technology distribution. MemorySet is the largest independent ICT distributor in Spain, ranking number 2 in overall size in the Spanish market. In 2004 it had net revenues of EUR 525 million.

Esprinet and MemorySet joining forces clearly strengthens EWG" says Thomas C. Weissmann, President of EWG and CEO of EWG partner ALSO. xThis move increases the stability of the EWG consortium, and will allow for even greater consistency in the realization of common programs and projectsx he explains.

EWG was founded in 2002. It represents the leading vendors of IT hard- and software products and has been acknowledged first by HP as a pan-European partner. During 2004 a European wide agreement was also signed with Fujitsu-Siemens Computers. In early November 2005 EWG announced yet another strategic partnership, this time with Canon Europe. The five partner
companies in the alliance ? ALSO, Copaco, Esprinet, GNT and MemorySet ? posted consolidated net sales of EUR 4.4 billion in 2004, making EWG the third-largest distributor in Europe. The EWG partners together employ a staff of about 2x200 and serve more than 50x000 resellers across Europe.

Further information:
EWG: Thomas C. Weissmann, President of European Wholesale Group, Tel. +41 41 266 18 028
GNT Sweden AB: Christian Svärd, Managing Director, Tel. +46 11 473 73 73