17.5.2006
EWG sales jump 31% in first quarter 2006

Strategic alliance EWG – composed of ALSO Holding AG (CH), Copaco N.V. (NL), Esprinet S.p.A. (I) and GNT-Group (FIN) – pushed up first-quarter consolidated net sales by an outstanding 31% to EUR 1’420 million (Q1/2005: EUR 1’086 million). Organic year-on-year growth on a proforma basis reached an impressive 14% 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 first quarter 2006 by an outstanding 31% to EUR 1’420 million (Q1/2005: EUR 1’086 million). While a substantial part of the increase is due to the acquisitions, organic growth still reached an impressive 14% on a comparable basic. All of the four partner companies posted double digit organic growth in their respective geographic region.

“We are extremely pleased to see EWG growing much faster than our main competitors” says Thomas C. Weissmann, President of EWG and CEO of EWG partner ALSO. ”Given that market conditions have improved only marginally, we consider this an excellent performance”, he adds. “Considering the effect of the weak seasonality of Q1 2005, however, we are a bit cautious for the remainder of the year as we expect growth rates to come down somewhat. For the full year 2006 we forecast consolidated net sales to reach EUR 5.2 – 5.4 billion, making EWG a very strong number three in Europe” 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 four companies in the alliance in 2005 posted consolidated net sales of EUR 4.8 billion. Together, the EWG partners have over 2’700 employees.

 Further information:

GNT Group
Kaj Valve
Chief Financial Officer