EANS-Adhoc: Valora Holding AG / Valora Services to enhance its market presence and extend its logistics offering

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Valora Services to enhance its market presence and extend its
logistics offering

05.12.2011

Valora Services to enhance its market presence and extend its
logistics offering

- Exploiting Valora´s clear competitive advantages in start-of-day
logistics and mail order packages - Services successfully inaugurated
in August 2011 with an initial 6,000 packages per day, positive
results from pilot test with La Redoute - Continuing profitable
expansion of logistics services to compensate for press market
decline in the years ahead

Exploiting Valora´s clear competitive advantages in start-of-day
logistics and mail order packages

As part of its "Valora 4 Success" efficiency strategy, the Group has
achieved recurring annual cost savings of more than CHF 11 million in
its Swiss logistics operations. The streamlined logistics network
structure with its centrally located hub in Egerkingen and the
introduction of new systems using internet-based track and trace
technology have significantly enhanced the capacity of Valora´s daily
7 a.m. deliveries to the more than 8,000 retail outlets which have
signed up for this service so far. From now on, Valora´s logistics
services will also be exploiting the synergies created by the
650-plus pick up/drop off points the Group operates for mail order
packages at its k kiosk and P&B outlets. Growing demand for
start-of-day logistics and mail order package services are thus
increasing consumer awareness of Valora´s logistics services and
making them more appealing to customers. Valora will build on this by
operating the unit under its own marketing brand from early 2012.
This new logistics initiative is a key element in the Group´s "Valora
4 Growth" strategy for its Services division.

Services successfully inaugurated in August 2011 with an initial
6,000 packages per day, positive results from pilot test with La
Redoute

Following the successful launch of start-of-day package logistics
services for the 21 suppliers forming the Optics Swiss Suppliers´
Association, which serves a total of 1,200 opticians in Switzerland,
Valora has secured further logistics mandates for 2012 during the 4th
quarter of this year. The outstanding performance of this service,
which enables Valora to deliver packages early in the morning
throughout Switzerland via its existing press and merchandise
distribution routes, has rapidly earned high levels of customer
satisfaction. The pilot test carried out for the mail order firm La
Redoute, which initially offered drop off facilities for returned
packages at 50 Valora outlets and whose coverage has now been
extended to more than 650 sites, will be extended further and both
Heine and Jelmoli, Switzerland´s two leading mail order retailers,
will now also offer this service to their customers. In addition to
the availability of a geographically dense network, k kiosk and P&B
customers also benefit from long opening hours, a high degree of
reliability and attractive prices set at less than CHF 4.00 per
package, so that the service is not only extremely useful but also
offers significant cost-savings to consumers.

Continuing profitable expansion of logistics services to compensate
for press market decline in the years ahead

Having analysed the market in detail and held discussions with
potential business partners, Valora expects to generate some CHF 2 -
3 million per year in additional cost-coverage revenues by expanding
its start-of-day package delivery logistics service. Management
expects a figure of some CHF 3 million in 2012. Thanks to the closely
knit press distribution and outlet network Valora already operates,
the firm can provide these additional services by optimising its use
of existing capacity without significant additional investment in its
logistics infrastructure. This will make a substantial contribution
to offsetting the general decline in press sales. Stefan Gächter will
manage the new logistics unit as part of the Group´s Services
division and be tasked with successfully positioning the new unit in
the market. As Thomas Vollmoeller, the Valora Group´s CEO, puts it,
"Demand for this service has increased substantially in recent
months. Collaboration with our existing customers demonstrates that
Valora´s Swiss logistics operations are increasingly taking on the
role of a solutions provider for medium-sized and international
companies that do not operate a logistics infrastructure of their own
in Switzerland. This new nationwide service can generate additional
operating profits of some CHF 10 million by 2015."

Further inquiry note:
Investor Relations: Tel: +41 58 789 12 20
Mladen Tomic E-Mail: mladen.tomic@valora.com

Media Relations: Tel: +41 58 789 12 01
Stefania Misteli E-Mail: stefania.misteli@valora.com

end of announcement euro adhoc
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issuer: Valora Holding AG
Hofackerstrasse 40
CH-4132 Muttenz
phone: +41 61 467 20 20
FAX: +41 58 789 12 12
mail: info@valora.com
WWW: www.valora.com
sector: Retail
ISIN: CH0002088976
indexes:
stockmarkets: stock market: BX Berne eXchange, Main Standard: SIX Swiss Exchange
language: English