Zumtobel Group forms partnership with Borussia Dortmund, commences sports lighting projects

Aug. 22, 2014

Dornbirn, Austria / Dortmund, Germany - The Zumtobel Group and Borussia Dortmund (BVB) have signed an agreement governing a partnership. The deal was announced yesterday by the CEO of the Zumtobel Group, Ulrich Schumacher and the Chairman of the Board of the Borussia Dortmund management company, Hans-Joachim Watzke in Dortmund, in the context of the 2014 DFL Super Cup. The partnership will be shaped by the Zumtobel Group's two lighting brands, Thorn and Zumtobel, and will run for a five-year term. Along with various lighting projects, the partnership will include customer programmes aimed at electricians, electrical planners and wholesale dealers of both brands.

"We are targeting significant growth in the German-speaking markets. In Borussia Dortmund we now have a strong partner at our side. This partnership will provide the ideal context in which to make the most of our strategic multi-brand approach. Because with our two lighting brands, Thorn and Zumtobel, we cover a broad range of applications: Zumtobel stands for emotive lighting scenarios based on highend, innovative lighting solutions -- as can already be experienced at the BVB FanWorld. Thorn is the global leader in the high quality illumination of infrastructure, including major sports stadiums. Together they make the perfect combination to offer Borussia Dortmund customised, benchmark lighting solutions to meet all of the club's requirements," said Zumtobel Group CEO Ulrich Schumacher. Customer programmes The customer programmes that form part of the partnership which kicked off on 1 July 2014 are designed to boost customer loyalty to Thorn and Zumtobel and drive up revenues through both brands. The brands' sales partners will benefit from a wide range of lighting solutions from a single source, as well as from an attractive package built around attendance at one of Borussia Dortmund's home games in the Bundesliga. Zumtobel illuminates BVB FanWorld, further projects to follow The first project concerned the high-end LED lighting solution implemented by Zumtobel for the BVB FanWorld facility in Dortmund. For this building, which covers over 2,000 square metres of floor space, Zumtobel installed an energy-efficient LED lighting concept that sets the stage to perfection for the black and yellow FanWorld and creates an attractive atmosphere. In the context of the partnership, further projects will follow in which Thorn too will play a key role. Thorn can already point to numerous reference projects in stadium illumination and is the long-standing lighting partner to national stadiums in the UK, France and Australia. The brand recently installed a flexible lighting solution at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice in preparation for UEFA EURO 2016, which can also provide suitable lighting scenarios for concerts and shows. And Thorn was also responsible for illuminating numerous venues at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. About the Zumtobel Group: The Zumtobel Group, based in Dornbirn in the Vorarlberg region of Austria, is one of the few global players in the lighting industry. The Group, which started life as Elektrogeräte und Kunstharzpresswerk W. Zumtobel KG in 1950, employed a workforce of 7,291 employees on the balance sheet date 30 April 2014 (2012/13: 7,162) and in the 2013/14 financial year posted consolidated revenues of EUR 1,246.8 million (2012/13: EUR 1,243.6 million). Within its multi-brand strategy, in the professional luminaire and lighting solution business the Group is represented in the marketplace by the Thorn and the Zumtobel brands. The lighting components' business (control gear, lighting management, LED components / modules) is handled by the Tridonic brand. The financial year of the Zumtobel Group commences on 1 May and ends on 30 April. Zumtobel Group and Borussia Dortmund - Real Partners The Zumtobel Group is a partner of Borussia Dortmund. The partnership is shaped by the Group's two lighting brands, Thorn and Zumtobel. With its strategic multi-brand approach the Group covers the full range of professional lighting solutions, making it a strong and versatile partner for Borussia Dortmund. The partnership includes the realisation of various lighting projects for the football club, as well as sales supporting measures for the target groups of both brands. Photo: The lighting concept of "BVB Fan World" in the Signal Iduna Park was developed by Zumtobel.

Contact:

Zumtobel Group - Astrid Kühn-Ulrich
+43-(0)5572 509-1570

E-mail:

[email protected]

Web site:

www.zumtobelgroup.com/en

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