Values

175 Years of Bertelsmann | The Management | The Group Divisions | Spirit | Financial Information 47
Print management for Reader’s Digest
Arvato Print and Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. (RDA) signed
a far-reaching business-process outsourcing (BPO) contract
in October. As part of the services agreement, Arvato is
assuming responsibility for much of RDA’s purchasing and
production management in a total of 35 countries in North
America, Europe and Asia. Th e fi ve-year agreement, with a
projected purchasing volume of around 400 million U.S. dollars
over the term of the contract, is a signifi cant milestone in the
systematic development of Arvato Print’s services portfolio.
Logistics Services in China
At the beginning of 2009, Arvato Services set up a new
logistics center in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in
partnership with the local cell phone providers Telling Group
and Sinomaster Group. Arvato Services retains a 51-percent
holding in the joint venture, known as Arvato Logistics
Services China Ltd. Th e fl edgling joint venture, which has
quickly and successfully established itself in the market,
provides supply-chain management services for the mobile
phone and high-tech industries in China. Its range of services
includes distribution, pick-and-pack, fulfi llment and valueadded
services.
Bertelsmann Annual Report 2009
RTL Group
Random House
Gruner + Jahr
Arvato
Direct Group
Highlights 2009
Full service for the Universal archive
ABBA, U2, Th e Jackson Five or Herbert von Karajan and the
Berlin Philharmonic all have one thing in common: The
original recordings of their works are stored in the Universal
Music Group International central media archives, which have
been located in Gütersloh since September 2009 and are managed
by Arvato Digital Services. Th e storage of more than 500,000
tapes, cylinders, vinyl records and CDs is just one of the services
Arvato Digital Services provides; other services include
digitization, long-term storage and the retrieval of recordings
for studios and other users around the world.
Global partnership with Microsoft
Arvato and Microsoft are expanding their international collaboration.
At the end of 2009 the leading provider of standard
software chose Arvato as its preferred BPO partner. In the future
Arvato – working from locations in Europe, America and
Asia – will manage BPO services for the four major divisions
Commercial Operations, Microsoft Business Solutions, OEM
(Original Equipment Manufacturers) and Premier Services,
handling service order management, contract management
and related processes. Arvato has been providing services for
Microsoft for more than 15 years, successfully meeting every
challenge.