Enterprise breezes into Europe with Winderlich

Identity specialist Enterprise IG has acquired a 50 per cent stake in Hamburg design group Windi Winderlich as part of a drive to establish a greater presence in mainland Europe. Further acquisitions in France and Benelux are expected.

Enterprise sales and marketing director Patrick Smith describes the deal as: “A major step forward in Europe”.

The contract between the groups gives Enterprise first refusal on the remaining half of Winderlich, should it come up for sale in the future. The German group will become known as Winderlich Enterprise IG with immediate effect.

Winderlich works on corporate identity and product branding. The London office of Enterprise will remain the headquarters for corporate identity work in Europe, but Winderlich’s experience in product branding will be used to spearhead a move into that market, steered from Hamburg.

The 30-strong German consultancy is the third biggest design group in Germany. Last year it achieved turnover of more than 3m, an increase of 23 per cent. Enterprise’s London office currently has 120 staff, but 20 new staff will be recruited during the first quarter of this year, says Smith.

See News Analysis, page 7