Chronology
This chronology is indicative only. It covers -
- antecedents (1831)
- beginnings (1907)
- offshore expansion (1984)
- in Europe (2000)
Context is provided by the broader communications and media timeline on this site.
Antecedents
1831 Johann Rudolf Ringier founds book printers in Zofingen and publishes Zofinger Wochenblatt
1902 Ringier merges with Francke & Co. to form the United Printing & Lithographic Works Ringier
1902 buys Schweizerische Allgemeine Volkszeitung
Beginnings
1907 Paul August Ringier splits from partners, forms Ringier & Co.
1914 launches the first rotogravure press in Europe capable of printing text and pictures in single process
1973 buys C.J.Bucher AG in Lucerne
Offshore expansion
1984 forms Ringier Print US Inc
1985 buys W.F.Hall printing company in US and forms joint venture with US printer W.A. Krueger
1986 uses satellite technology to print European edition of Gannett's USA Today
1986 sells German subsidiary Internationale Presse Import & Export GmbH of Frankfurt
1987 forms Times Ringier Hongkong as joint venture with TPL of Singapore
1991 buys majority share in Zürcher Druck & Verlag AG, publisher of Zuger Nachrichten
1993 Ringier America closes book-printing works in New Berlin (Wisconsin) and sells two magazine printing works in Pontiac (Illinois) and Senatobia (Mississippi)
1995 Ringier buys Betty Bossi publishing house from Unilever
1995 buys Prvni novinova spolecnost distribution business in Czech Republic
1996 sells Ringier America to World Color Press (later acquired by Quebecor) for US$415m
1996 establishes SMD Schweizer Medien Databank in partnership with Tamedia and the Swiss national broadcaster SRG
1996 merges Luzerner Zeitung with Luzerner Neuste Nachrichten
1998 establishes Adligenswil and Zofingen print centres as autonomous companies (Ringier Print Adligenswil AG and Ringier Print Zofingen AG)
1998 establishes Trade Publishing Limited in China
1998 Ringier Hungary buys Nemzeti Sport paper
1998 launches prepress unit in Hanoi
1999 launch of Dimanche.ch, Sunday paper in French-speaking Switzerland
1999 sells stake in local tv channel Telezüri to Tamedia
2000 takes stake in Asia Inflight Ltd to 90% (formerly 51%)
2000 founds Ringier Contract Publishing in Hong Kong
2000 takes minority shareholding in Communicate Ltd., Hong Kong
2000 takes minority shareholding in Modernbooks.com in Macao and Hiroad Ltd in Beijing
2000 establishes joint venture online job market Human Line and Scout24
2000 sells 90% of Good News to Deutsche Entertainment AG
In Europe
2000 buys Hungarian publisher Magyar Hirlap, becoming publisher of 2nd largest popular newspaper Mai Nap, quality newspaper Magyar Hirlap and Budapest printworks
2001 buys Zurich print prepress company Specter
2001 amalgamates Hungarian popular newspapers Blikk and Mai Nap as Mai Blikk
2001 buys remaining 50% of Times-Ringier in Hong Kong
2001 buys Winterthur printworks and associated prepress company ColorServ from Basler Mediengruppe
2001 Le Monde buys Sandoz Family Foundation's 20% stake in Geneva daily Le Temps
2002 announces agreement to buy Jean Frey publishing group (inc Die Weltwoche, Bilanz and Beobachter) from Basler Media Group (BMG)
2003 Dimanche.ch closed
2003 Ringier buys TV Revue magazine in Czech Republic from Bauer
2003 takes 41% stake in Le Temps (41% held by Edipresse, 5% by Le Monde)
2004 buys Gruner + Jahr publishing holdings in Romania, Slovakia and Czech Republic