Geiger Acquires Germany-Based Promo Distributor

Members of WER GmbH and Geiger celebrate the new partnership. Back Row L-R: Alex Heinecke, Marc Strickrodt and Rob Wozniak. Front Row L-R: Mirco Häßlich, Vicky Kinasz and David Geiger.

Another Counselor Top 40 North American promotional products distributor is expanding its presence in Germany.

Maine-headquartered Geiger (asi/202900) announced Thursday, July 11 that it has acquired WER GmbH, a promotional products distributor based in Senden, Germany. Financial terms of the deal between the companies were not released.

Established in 1992, WER GmbH operates six offices and several warehouses across Germany, including major cities such as Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt. Geiger already had an office in Düsseldorf, but this is the firm’s first acquisition in Germany.

“We are thrilled to welcome WER GmbH to the Geiger family,” said Vicky Kinasz, vice president/managing director of Geiger International. “This acquisition further expands our international presence and enhances our capabilities in key markets. The synergy between our organizations will create new opportunities for innovation and growth.”

The integration process is starting immediately, with WER GmbH rebranding to WER GmbH, a Geiger Company. All WER GmbH employees are being retained. Geiger noted that includes company leaders like CFO Marc Strickrodt, Director Mirco Häßlich, and CEO Alex Heinecke, who will continue to lead the division now under Geiger.

“We have known Geiger as a global leader for many years and they have proven themselves to operate with honesty and integrity and share the same values and culture as WER,” said Heinecke. “Geiger's global network and industry leadership will provide our clients with enhanced services and offerings. We are confident that this partnership will be beneficial for our customers and employees alike.”

At about $3 billion in annual industry sales, Germany has Europe’s largest national market for promo revenue. Top 40 North American promo distributors have increasingly been seeking to make inroads into it. In 2023, Top 40 distributor BDA (asi/137616) acquired Germany-based distributor ipm | gruppe. In February, Top 40 distributor Myron (asi/278980) acquired Schneider GmbH, a company headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

Executives say finding the right partner is key, and Geiger believes it has found that in WER GmbH. The firm has more than 100 employees and its capabilities align with Geiger's service offerings, including kitting, company stores, international distribution, custom products, in-house decoration and warehousing, which executives said will “further enhance the range of services available to the newly combined customer base.”

“WER GmbH culture, commitment to the highest service, quality, and ESG standards exceeded our expectations,” said Geiger CEO/President Jo-an Lantz, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people. “One thing is for certain: Geiger is global. Now more than ever.”

Headquartered in Lewiston, ME, Geiger is into its fifth generation of Geiger family ownership/leadership. The firm has been active in recent years making acquisitions domestically and abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom, where its Geiger U.K. division is a sizable industry force.

This year, Geiger made two domestic acquisitions prior to the WER GmbH deal, purchasing California-based O2 Marketing + Design (asi/286464) in April and Broadway Marketing, an Albany, NY-based distributorship, in January.

Based on reported 2022 North American promo product revenue of $327 million, Geiger ranked ninth on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest distributors in the industry.