Sanoma Uitgevers has acquired two housing websites, Leadz.nl and Woonwebsite.nl. These acquisitions fit the strategy of Sanoma Uitgevers' online cluster Home Deco to further reinforce its position in 2008. Recently the cluster already launched two other sites: Woonklussen.nl and Allewoonwinkels.nl. In the coming months there will be more website launches as well.
Both acquired websites are focused at consumers who wish to change something to their house or garden. On Woonwebsite.nl visitors can find information about building and re-building. They can also make use of a Do It Yourself agent to find a suitable builder for a thorough home rebuilding. Leadz.nl is an auction website where supply and demand of home deco jobs come together. Consumers can set out orders and professional companies can make a bid for them. Visitors can select suppliers based on other consumers' experiences, financial information about supply companies and price quotations.
"Through these acquisitions we will make a big step forwards in realising our strategy. Woonwebsite.nl and Leadz.nl are sites with enormous possibilities for expansion, also because of the people who work there," says Johan Keurentjes, Online Publisher Home Deco of Sanoma Uitgevers. "Woonwebsite.nl, with hundreds of thousands of visitors monthly, is one of the best visited sites for finding information about housing and renovation. Leadz.nl has a smart auction system and consumers can take advantage of each other's knowledge through reviews. With these two acquisitions Sanoma Uitgevers is now able to help consumers find the right parties online to renovate housing."
John van Hoorn, manager Woonwebsite.nl, is happy with the take-over. "We now have a fantastic opportunity to broaden and improve the site." Jan van 't Klooster from Leadz.nl sees advantages as well. "We care about two things: satisfied customers and brand name recognition. The first we already have, the latter we can expand together with Sanoma Uitgevers."
Sanoma Uitgevers is equally strong in printed home and decoration magazines. It is part of Sanoma Magazines, the magazine division of the SanomaWSOY Group.