Founded in 1838, Westermann's imprints include Schroedel, Diesterweg, Schoeningh, Westermann, Winklers, Spectra, Logo, Advesco, Schubi, Dorner, Westermann Wien, Arena Verlag, Ensslin, and Westermann Lernspielverlag.

Medien Union GmbH is a holding company with stakes in several large German regional newspapers, including Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Stuttgarter Zeitung, Die Rheinpfalz, and the national daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, as well as in a number of radio stations.

Medien Union, founded in 1947, is the parent company of the regional daily Rheinpfalz, which had been initiated in September 1945 with help from the Allied Forces that occupied Germany after WW II, and has been controlled to the present by the Schaub family (50,4% through Dieter Schaub, son of founder Joseph Schaub), and the families of co-founders Arthur Lenk, Hans Wipprecht, Xaver Resch, and the Nagel family.

Key Company Developments in 2012 & 2013

Financial:

In 2012, Buchreport estimated the group’s revenues at 265.7 million EUR, an increase of 2% against 2011's estimate (260.5 million EUR).

Ownership, Mergers & Acquisition, Internal Organization:

In May 2013, Westermann took over the Cologne-based professional publisher Bildungsverlag Eins, which had estimated revenues of 27 million EUR. Westermann had already acquired their education, primary school and middle school programs, which were not part of the core business.

Digital:

Together with fourteen publishing houses which are part of Verband Bildungsmedien e.V. (Educational Media Association), including heavy-weights such as Cornelsen and Klett, Westermann launched an online platform for digital learning that offers the opportunity to manage e-books books purchased in various online stores. Westermann also launched a digital platform that helps teachers prepare their lessons.

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