Stämpfli and asim Bregenz
to join forces

BY TEMEL KAHYAOGLU

(Published in The Produktkulturmagazin issue 2 2015)

Since 1 June 2015, the Stämpfli AG has been the majority shareholder of asim GmbH in Bregenz, which is now called Stämpfli asim GmbH. In an interview, CEO Hansjörg B. Gutensohn speaks about new possibilities for product communication, a corporate culture informed by visions and his claim to customer satisfaction, which for him takes priority. 

Mr Gutensohn, with Stämpfli asim, a new strong axis has formed along which you want to expand your market share in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. What are the benefits of this merger for all involved?

Hansjörg B. Gutensohn: asim GmbH and Stämpfli AG have known and appreciated each other for many years. By merging the two companies, valuable synergies for customers, employees and stakeholders will become apparent. We as former asim GmbH benefit from Stämpfli AG’s comprehensive service portfolio. On the other hand Stämpfli has found an opportunity in asim to expand and strengthen its position in the Austrian and German markets. 

How do existing customers benefit from this fusion? 

H. B. G.: Together with the company Stämpfli, we cover the whole package in the area of product communication. Our offer is holistic and guided by the needs of our customers. In the field of product information management, we offer a modular mediaSolution3 PIM system that increases efficiency and saves our clients’ time and money. With our comprehensive product communication services, we cover all facets: from dialogue marketing to conception and design of catalogues, to e-commerce solutions. Overall, our customers gain access to a wider range of services. Our existing clients will continue to be supervised by asim and the same team in Bregenz, but will benefit from the wider range Stämpfli brings to the mix as well as our additional competencies.

This means, Stämpfli asim GmbH will remain in Bregenz? 

H. B. G.: Yes, we will stay in Bregenz. We just moved into our new offices in Quellenstraße. Bregenz is the perfect location for the future strategy of the company. Our roots are here, we can recruit good employees and are located in an internationally oriented region with short distances to Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and South Tyrol. 

What is the aim of Stämpfli asim GmbH? 

H. B. G.: We offer the complete range of product communication from a single source. On the one hand, we want to gain a strong foothold in Germany and Austria with our core product mediaSolution3 and help companies with customised, media-neutral product information to save time and to be economically more efficient. On the other hand, we will expand our online activities and consultancy services in the e-commerce sector. Furthermore, the online market in the B2B sector has a lot of potential. Here, we have already developed sophisticated solutions and are ready to offer the best advice to demanding customers. 

How are responsibilities shared between the individual sites?  

H. B. G.: Stämpfli asim GmbH has been a part of the Stämpfli Group since June 2015. The main focus is on the two areas ‘publication systems’ and ‘Internet’. However, in the long-term perspective our communication services are to be offered as part of the package. With the acquisition, our products asimPublish, asimCommerce and asimFlip have become the property of Stämpfli asim GmbH. The product, asimBase, remains the property of Druckhaus Waiblingen. In the future, we will work with Stämpfli AG’s PIM product, which counts as one of the market leaders in this area in Switzerland. The system is a mature, proven product and already has  a wide installation base in Switzerland and interesting implementations in Germany ‒ developing the customer portfolio in Austria and expanding it in Germany are now the responsibility of Stämpfli asim GmbH.

What do you expect from this acquisition? 

H. B. G.: The acquisition is a win-win situation for everyone involved. We benefit from the wide range of services of the Stämpfli Group and they get asim Bregenz as a distribution partner in the EU and thus gain access to the key markets of Austria, Germany and South Tyrol. For our customers, this results in holistic, expert advice covering all aspects of product communication. We have prepared well for this step and found answers to many questions together, so we could see how we would get along. It quickly became clear ‒ the chemistry is right between us. I am very convinced of the values of the Stämpfli Group and I am certain that we therefore have a solid foundation.

What makes Stämpfli AG so attractive to you? 

H. B. G.: After the initial discussions with Bernhard Kobel, I was convinced that Stämpfli AG is a sustainable operating business. It corresponds with my idea of a modern-thinking family business with a long-term strategy and a corporate culture that I wholeheartedly share. 

What makes this corporate culture so special?  

H. B. G.: We maintain a holistic view in which customer satisfaction is of particular importance. Recognising the needs of individuals and providing the services accordingly, is exactly what I would imagine. I am not aiming for quick sales and revenues but primarily see the customer’s situation. If we find the right solution for him and convince him of our commitment and competence then the numbers will follow. To ensure this, at Stämpfli there is a culture of cooperation.

What has attracted you personally to this new role?   

H. B. G.: For me it’s a great challenge to which I would like to devote my entire knowledge and skill. In the past 20 years, I, as founder and CEO of Asim GmbH, have developed and positioned a company that operates from two locations across borders in Austria and Germany. I have learned a lot through successes, but also through failures, and would like to bring this experience and my grown and well-maintained network into our new company. Of course, I am also excited to drive the German market expansion forward with Swiss quality. I am certain that together we will establish a successful business and will be able to present a unique brand made of Swiss quality and Austrian charm to the German market. 

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SOFTWARE VENDOR

Stämpfli asim GmbH with headquarters in Bregenz specialises in the development, implementation and maintenance of PIM systems. Since June 2015, the company has also provided publishing systems and Internet services in Germany and Austria. Consultation and cooperation adapted to each customer’s situation is paramount for Stämpfli asim GmbH. 

Stämpfli asim GmbH
Hansjörg B. Gutensohn
hansjoerg.gutensohn@staempfli.com 
staempfli.com

Picture credits © Eva Rauch/Stämpfli asim GmbH