PKN Orlen takes over Polska Press from the German Verlagsgruppe Passau Capital Group - one of the largest publishers in Poland, the company said. The company emphasizes that this transaction is in line with the strategic plans of PKN Orlen to strengthen retail sales, including non-fuel sales. By taking over Polska Press, the concern will obtain, among others access to 17.4 million internet users and the possibility of acquiring new customers.

“We are consistently expanding the areas of our activity. On the basis of Sigma Bis, we have built a professional media agency from scratch, which successively acquires new clients, including commercial ones. We took over the Ruch company, which will make it easier for us to enter the market for new points of sale and the development of e-commerce services. In turn, access to 17.4 million users of portals managed by Polska Press will effectively strengthen the sales of the entire Orlen Group, optimize marketing costs, and enable further development of big data tools. We are taking actions that are part of the new PKN Orlen strategy until 2030 and will effectively support the dynamic development of the retail network,” Daniel Obajtek, the president of PKN Orlen, said.

Interestingly, the takeover of the Polska Press group by the state-owned company was predicted by journalist Marcin Meller in an interview for the naTemat portal from July 2019, although there has been talking of the possibility of a takeover by a large state-owned company since 2016.

“In the first place, United Right will tackle Polska Press Group, i.e. the local press. They can make a trick with a purchase proposal that cannot be refused. Local newspapers are extremely important, widely read in regional Poland, and very powerful, for example during local elections. Suppose the elections are won in 2019. In 2020, they take over the regional press. Local elections will take place in 2023. The rest doesn’t need to be said,” Meller warned.

PKN Orlen announced that it will expand big data tools based on the resources of Polska Press, Orlen Vitay, Stop Cafe, but also Energa Group and Ruch. Polska Press has a knowledge base about customer preferences, transactions conducted, or the value of the basket in relation to the group of 60.07 percent of Internet users all over Poland. 

(Gazeta.pl)