TNT Post in partnership with German publishing groups

TNT Post, the Süddeutscher Verlag and the Munich-based Ippen Publishing Group are entering into astrategic partnership in the German mail delivery market. Furthermore, TNT Post has taken a 25.1%

share in ecoflash Briefservice GmbH, a regional mail delivery specialist jointly owned by theSüddeutscher Verlag and the Ippen Publishing Group.

The partnership will provide TNT Post access to 1.6 million households and secure “finalmile” delivery in the Greater Munich Area. The new partners are also aiming to cooperate moreclosely in other areas of Germany where these publishers have interest in local mail deliverycompanies, TNT announced. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval by the Germanauthorities.

TNT Post managing director Harry Koorstra said: “This step reinforces and strengthens TNTPost’s position as the number one challenger in the German mail market. We have been building andexpanding our delivery network and this partnership is a perfect example of how we can leverageregional know-how, the infrastructure of the Ippen Pubishing Group and our existing customer baseand mail expertise. Our aim is to reach 100% household coverage in the course of this year.”

Since the beginning of 2005, the joint venture of Süddeutscher Verlag and the IppenPublishing Group has provided business clients with regional mail deliveries in the Munich area.The two parent companies publish separate newspapers, magazines and other print products.

In addition to mail deliveries and consolidation services for business customers, the primaryfocus of TNT Post Germany is on the distribution of direct mail advertising to private households.For its mail delivery operations, TNT Post has its own network with 17 sorting centres and morethan 2,500 delivery staff. With its own delivery structures and those of 150 partners, TNT Postcovers over 90% of German households.

With 41 million advertisements distributed each week and around 36,000 leaflet and brochuredeliverers on its books, the company is second only to Deutsche Post AG in the direct mailadvertising sector.