Ringier Axel Springer Media AG
Onet acquires 80 percent of the shares in Skapiec Sp. z o.o. and Opineo sp. z o.o.
Zurich (ots)
Acquisition furthers diversification strategy of Onet/ Skapiec.pl is the second largest comparison shopping engine/ Opineo.pl is the leading product review site in Poland
Onet, a subsidiary of Ringier Axel Springer Media AG, has entered today into an agreement to acquire 80 percent of the shares in Skapiec Sp. z o.o. and Opineo sp. z o.o.
Skapiec.pl allows its users to compare the offers of online retailers and find the best offers for the products they are looking for. The company has been operating since 2004 and stores information about millions of products and their prices. The service was visited by 2,1 milion Internet users in March this year.
Opineo.pl was created in 2006 and is the leading product review site in Poland. Besides more than 3.8 million client reviews, it also offers information about online retailers and the wide range of products offered by over 32.000 e-shops and companies. According to the Megapanel PBI/Gemius results from March this year, 550.000 users visited the website .
Onet is significantly diversifying its portfolio with these acquisitions. The leading Polish online portal, reaching more than 70% of all Internet users in Poland, Onet will use its market position to further develop both assets into strong platforms for both consumers and businesspartners.
Robert Bednarski, CEO Onet: "We will see a dynamic development in the field of product review and product comparison services over the next few years. Both services are a perfect fit for our diversification strategy. Skapiec.pl and Opineo.pl are very good products, which have been created and are managed by a strong team. Both companies display excellent double-digit growth. Thanks to our reach, we will be able to further strengthen both assets."
Mariusz Janiszewski, CEO Skapiec: "This transaction offers us new opportunities for further development. Onet.pl is a reliable and proven business partner and the market leader for a number of years. Onet also provides extensive technical expertise and has proven its ability to create innovative solutions for both users and advertisers. We strongly believe that combining our competences will allow us to become even stronger."
Pawel Kucharzak, CEO Opineo: "The rapid development of our business was the stimulus for us to seek an investor who will ensure the further growth of the company. Onet's Internet portfolio will allow us to maintain our leading position in the review segment and to continue growing. We consider this a great opportunity, a chance to extend the scale and reach of our activities. The 7 million users visiting Onet's services every day creates incredible potential and we will be sure to take advantage of this."
The founders, Mariusz Janiszewski (Skapiec.pl) and Pawel Kucharzak (Opineo.pl) will retain 20% of the stakes and their current positions as CEOs of the respective companies.
About Ringier Axel Springer Media AG
Ringier Axel Springer Media AG was founded in 2010 by the Swiss Ringier AG and the German Axel Springer SE and bundles the activities of both shareholders in Central and Eastern Europe. The company operates in the growth markets of Poland, Slovakia and Serbia with a broad range of media services, comprising more than 100 online and print products. The company's registered offices are in Zurich and it employs a total of about 2300 employees.
Press contact:
Alexandra Delvenakiotis
Head of Corporate Communications
Ringier Axel Springer Media AG
Phone +41 44 267 29 14
a.delvenakiotis@ringieraxelspringer.com www.ringieraxelspringer.com
Original content of: Ringier Axel Springer Media AG, transmitted by news aktuell