GfK Consolidates Presence in Europe

The GfK Group has announced the expansion of its position in two major European markets through increased shareholdings. In addition, it has also succeeded in winning five-year extensions to two of its European TV audience research contracts.

Firstly in the Benelux zone, the GfK Group has further expanded its majority stake of just over 50% in Intomart Benelux to 100%. The institute group, which joined the GfK Group at the end of 1997 and operates in the GfK ad hoc research and media business divisions, was established in 1962 and has locations in the Netherlands and Belgium. Intomart has been carrying out TV audience research in Belgium and the Netherlands for many years. At the beginning of the year, the company was successful in winning a three year contract to measure radio consumption in the Netherlands.

At the last count, Intomart employed a staff of 249 and achieved turnover of Euro 21.5 million in 2000. In addition to Dutch and Belgian TV stations, major clients include the Post Office and the European Commission. The GfK Group, who also own GfK Panel Services Benelux and GfK Marketing Services as well as Intomart, is now the top ranking research company in the Netherlands.

According to Gerhard Kirschner, GfK Board Member with responsibility for the Media division, "After three years of successful collaboration, acquiring a 100 per cent shareholding in Intomart has further strengthened our European market leadership in the field of media research."

Secondly, the group's UK presence has been strengthened, as previously reported on Daily News, by the recent increase in the stake held in Romtec-GfK from 49% to 100%. Together with the Martin Hamblin Group, in which GfK recently acquired the majority shareholding, GfK Great Britain and GfK Marketing Services, GfK now ranks seventh in the UK. According to Gérard Hermet, GfK Management Board Member with responsibility for Non-Food Tracking, "With the acquisition of the non food tracking business of PC Data in the context of a joint venture with Intelect Partnership/NPD Group in the USA, this is a second major step towards further strengthening the leading position GfK has in non-food tracking in the IT, telecommunications and video sectors."

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.