Bisnode has signed an agreement to sell ABC Germany, one of the leading German B2B supplier search engines, to the Dutch Avant Invest B.V., which already owns the ABC operations in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. With this transaction, Bisnode will sell the last company in its product information business area to focus on growth in its core business areas of credit and risk information solutions, marketing solutions and business information solutions.
ABC Germany is the largest German B2B supplier database, with more than 4.7 million companies. ABC helps decision makers to find new suppliers and business partners. The company employs five people and reported revenue of around EUR 800,000 in 2011. In May 2010, Bisnode had already divested its ABC operations in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, which are now owned by Avant Invest B.V.. With the acquisition of ABC Germany, Avant Invest B.V. will be able to further develop the ABC offering as a united group.
The transaction will be closed later this summer. In conjunction with this transaction, Bisnode will dissolve its product information business area and in the future will be organised only geographical in its four regional areas Nordic, Central Europe, DACH and BeNeFra. Fredrik Åkerman, who currently also serves as Business Area Director Product Information, will continue his work as CFO for the Bisnode Group. Andreas Haverkorn, who currently also serves as Managing Director of ABC Germany, will continue as CFO for the DACH region at Bisnode.
Source: Bisnode Press Release
