Winkler+Dünnebier GmbH, including its subsidiary W+D Direct Marketing Solutions GmbH, a market leader in machines and system solutions for production, printing and flexible processing of envelopes, and Kern AG, a leading provider of inserting systems, peripherals and end-to-end solutions, have agreed to expand their long-standing relationship. The cooperation, which has until now has been limited to the sale of specific products, will be expanded to a global market and technology alliance.  The announcement was made jointly today by Jochen Engelke, Chairman and CEO of Winkler+Dünnebier and Uli Kern, owner and Managing Director of Kern AG.

"The two companies complement each other perfectly,” stated Jochen Engelke, Chairman and CEO of Winkler+Dünnebier.  “The focus of activities is on the production and processing of high-quality envelope-based mailings."

"Strong similarities also exist with regard to the understanding of quality. Standing for the highest quality is tradition for both companies and the current product portfolios of both companies demonstrate this impressively, added Uli Kern, owner and Managing Director of Kern AG.

Thanks to their complementary product ranges, W+D and Kern are now able to serve their respective customers with integrated solutions covering the complete process of mail from production to finishing, addressing transactional and direct mail markets as well as increasingly important hybrid markets.  The sales and service organizations and networks of both companies will be positively affected as they now will be able to offer interesting possibilities for a forward and backward integration along the mail value chain. Existing customers will be able to substantially enhance the performance of their installed base and synergies in international distribution and service will generate additional benefits for customers giving them solutions out of "one hand".

Under this agreement, both companies will have mutual access to the technology and resources which will serve to accelerate the innovation process of both companies and result in the faster market introduction of important new products and solutions.

A representative selection from the entire product range will be exhibited by Winkler+Dünnebier GmbH in Hall 15/C55 and Kern AG in Hall 06/C79 during the upcoming Drupa, May 3-16 in Düsseldorf.