Linopress Publishing Systems GmbH, a fully-owned subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), and alfa Media Partner GmbH have signed a far-reaching development and sales agreement to pool the strengths of both companies. In addition, Heidelberg is planning to transfer its entire holding in Linopress to alfa Media Partner in April 2002, subject to the agreement of the monopolies commission. A contract to this effect has been signed by both companies. Heidelberg will continue to concentrate on solutions for the entire graphic arts industry, such as offset and digital printing, software solutions and services. Linopress and alfa Media Partner are cooperating in all key business areas. As of now, Linopress will sell alfa editorial and advertising systems. Both companies are to consolidate their respective product lines to make an even more effective solution and will be forming joint development streams. This also guarantees long-term support for the Linopress product line. For alfa Media Partner, this co-operation will help continue its success over the long term, secure its position on the German-speaking market and further expand its international business opportunities. Both companies are planning to extend their product range to include new areas of application and to offer their expertise in the IT services sector to companies from other branches of the industry in order to secure new business opportunities. Michael Fischer has been made new Managing Director of Linopress Publishing Systems GmbH. The previous Managing Director Günter Nitzsche left the company on May 31, 2001. As a system house and service provider, alfa Media Partner GmbH has been supplying open and integrated system solutions to the newspaper and media industry since 1981. It is headquartered in Seligenstadt near Frankfurt and has branches in Munich and Kiel. alfa employs a total of 108 staff. Linopress Publishing Systems GmbH employs 75 staff and is headquartered in Eschborn. Since 1991 it has been supplying publishing systems, services and high-availability server solutions to newspaper publishers. Its core business is based around development, integration and support of complete prepress and workflow systems for newspaper publishers on a client/server basis.