DGAP-News: TAKKT AG / Key word(s): Investment TAKKT expands acquisition strategy and founds investment company - Berlin-based startup as first investment 19.09.2016 / 13:25 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAKKT expands acquisition strategy and founds investment company - Berlin-based startup as first investment Stuttgart, Germany, September 19, 2016. At the beginning of the year, TAKKT AG has founded a company for investing in young, innovative companies that focus on B2B retail. The first investment was completed with a participating interest in the Berlin startup printmate. The investment company TAKKT Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH (TBG) aims to function as a smart investor for strategically buying participating interests in young companies with strong potential for growth. The company will specifically focus on B2B direct marketing specialists or service specialists working along the value chain of TAKKT companies. In particular, TBG will be considering minority interests. The focus will be on young companies that are already active on the market and that are looking for external partners to finance growth initiatives. "In addition to financing growth, we'll also use our expertise and international experience to get actively involved. At the same time, we'll have access to innovative business models, new products and visionary business founders," says TAKKT CEO Felix Zimmermann, explaining the reasons behind this decision. With this move, TAKKT is adding a new component to its existing acquisition strategy, which focuses on companies that are already established and profitable. For their first investment, TBG acquired a minority interest of 30 percent in the Berlin-based startup printmate GmbH. Founded in Berlin in March 2015, printmate is a startup specializing in the digital printing of professional mail packaging that is designed in a customer-specific manner. Their main target group includes small online retail companies and agencies that printmate can supply from the amount of 100 items at attractive prices. Julian Jost, founder and CEO of printmate, comments positively on the investment: "I'm thrilled to have found a competent, internationally experienced partner in TAKKT. They will support the printmate team with future growth." The amount paid for the participating interest was in the mid-six-figure range. About TAKKT AG TAKKT is the leading B2B direct marketing specialist for business equipment in Europe and North America. The Group is represented with its brands in more than 25 countries. The product range of the subsidiaries comprises more than 300,000 products for the areas of plant and warehouse equipment, office furniture, transport packaging, display articles and equipment for the food service industry, hotel market and retailers. The TAKKT Group has over 2,000 employees and just under three million customers worldwide. The company is listed on the SDAX and Deutsche Börse Prime Standard. Contacts: Dr. Christian Warns Tel. +49 711 3465-8222 Giuseppe Palmieri Tel. +49 711 3465-8250 Email: [email protected] www.takkt.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19.09.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: TAKKT AG Presselstr. 12 70191 Stuttgart Germany Phone: +49 (0)711 346 58 -0 Fax: +49 (0)711 346 58 - 10 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.takkt.de ISIN: DE0007446007 WKN: 744600 Indices: SDAX Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Stuttgart; Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Tradegate Exchange End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 503051 19.09.2016