From left to right: Ulrich Schätzl (IOP Board Member), Christoph Wenk-Fischer (Managing Director of the German E-Commerce and Mail Order Association), Bernd Zipper (IOP Board Chairman) and Roland Keppler (IOP Board Member)

Essen—The Bundesverband E-Commerce und Versandhandel Deutschland (German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association - bevh) and the Initiative Online Print (IOP) have concluded a cooperation agreement. In the future, they will work closely together on political lobbying, public relations and specialized topics. The agreement between the still independent organizations creates a network focused on common e-commerce topics, which further strengthens the representation of interests of the association members and also provides them with the expertise of the partner.

"What our members have in common are e-commerce processes and new retail and production methods. These are geared towards customer-specific, demand-driven production and availability of products, just-in-time value creation and digital automation. In this dynamic environment, which breaks with traditional value chains and creates new business models, we are creating a new joint knowledge and policy platform. Online retail and online print go well together," says Gero Furchheim, President of bevh.

Bernd Zipper, Chairman of the Initiative Online Print e.V., adds: "Print works. Print is irreplaceable in our society - and an important part of the media landscape. However, online print in particular now accounts for almost half of the print market in Germany. Specialized partners are needed to further strengthen this e-commerce sector. We are delighted to have found a competent and excellently networked cooperation partner in bevh. The trusting collaboration of recent years has also shown us and our members what we can achieve together for the sector. We see this far-reaching cooperation agreement not only as an invitation to actively participate in the working groups, but also as an opportunity to help shape the e-commerce market beyond the boundaries of the printing industry and thus to reaffirm the importance of print in people's minds. Print remains - and adds a tactile dimension to our digital world."

Christoph Wenk-Fischer, Managing Director at bevh, welcomed the official launch of the cooperation: "A good personal relationship, common interests and the parallels between our business models - this is an excellent basis for our partnership, which we now intend to communicate to the outside world on a permanent basis."