Bertelsmann Spins Off Arvato Printing Unit

GÜTERSLOH, GERMANY—Bertelsmann is focusing its Arvato division on growth with an emphasis on the services businesses. To achieve this, the gravure printing operations and all of Arvato’s international printers are being grouped into a separate unit outside the Arvato division. The Bertelsmann AG supervisory board approved the executive board’s plans at a meeting in Gütersloh earlier this week.

The new printing unit will have revenues of about US$1.575 billion and will consist of the Prinovis Group and its sites in Germany and the U.K., along with Arvato’s printers in Italy, Spain and the United States. The Arvato division is simplifying its structure to concentrate on its fast-growing services business and the development of new business fields.

Bertelsmann will manage these printing operations directly in a separate unit alongside its four corporate divisions—RTL Group, Random House, Gruner + Jahr and Arvato. This reorganization makes it possible to better manage and focus the businesses.