Vanerum Group announces takeover of DDS (SMART Board distribution Benelux) by VSV Benelux

Diest, Kortrijk and Zaltbommel, November 15, 2004

Today Vanerum and DDS announced the start of a structural collaboration. DDS's activities will be integrated into the Vanerum Group, which will enable the company to further develop its role as a leading AV-specialist.

"We are delighted with the creation of this new association", says Gert Van Erum, Managing Director of Vanerum Group. "Both companies compliment each other perfectly. We at Vanerum have developed our company from being a manufacturer of traditional visual communications, namely writing boards, to a supplier of total AV-solutions, on both a retail (with the Vanerum division) and a wholesale level (with the VSV division). With DDS, we will achieve a more consolidated position in the Dutch market and a broader base in our own Belgian market. The SMART Board product line is important for us on both retail and wholesale level. The expertise that is available at DDS will play an important role in the future and will provide the group with more possibilities in both current channels and new markets. In addition to this, DDS has a strong management team who will remain active and compliment the available expertise in Holland."
 
Marco Veen and Gerben Beijneveld, both directors from DDS add: "A perfect marriage: Vanerum possesses specific beneficial assets that are important to us. We will gain better access to the Belgian market, will be able to achieve improved national coverage and we can combine the distribution force and products of VSV with our own, the two activities are really complimentary. In addition to all of this, we will stay active inside the organisation on the VSV level, while remaining focussed also on Smartboard products."
 
The new combination, with its various subsidiaries (Vanerum Belgium, Vanerum the Netherlands, Vanerum Germany, VSV Belgium, VSV the Netherlands and DDS) will concentrate its activities around the central theme of Visual Communications in three core markets: School equipment, AV-equipment (retail and wholesale) and Signposting systems. Together they are responsible for a turnover of € 40 million, they have a combined staff of 175 employees, individual branches in three countries and agents in Europe and the USA. More information can be found on the respective websites: www.vanerum.com, www.vsvint.be and www.smartboard.nl.