Würzburg-based Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG (VCG) is acquiring Axel Springer Corporate Solutions GmbH & Co. KG (ASCS), which has more than 120 employees – subject to antitrust approval – effective January 1st 2026. It will be merged with VCG-owned Vogel Corporate Solutions GmbH (VCS). Together, the two sites in Berlin and Würzburg will form one of Germany’s largest content marketing agencies with exceptional media expertise.
The acquisition expands VCG’s expertise in content marketing and digital communications solutions and further strengthens its position as a leading provider of B2B communications. “The acquisition will enable the future Vogel Corporate Solutions to significantly strengthen its position in the market,” says Ewald Wessling, Chairman of the VCG Supervisory Board. “As the group pursues its strategic ambition of becoming an internationally significant knowledge and communications partner, this marks a major step forward for VCG as a whole.”
The management of Vogel Corporate Solutions GmbH will comprise the three Managing Directors Lutz Thalmann, Frank Parlow (both ASCS) and Dennis Hirthammer (VCG), together with the executive management team comprising Christopher Brott and Thuy Lan Mai (both ASCS) and Katharina Krimmer (previously a member of the VCS management team). Following the acquisition, the current ASCS managers Brott, Parlow and Thalmann will jointly hold 24.9% of the shares in VCS.
“This takeover is the biggest acquisition by VCG to date”, says Matthias Bauer, CEO of VCG: “By bringing Axel Springer Corporate Solutions together with the 15 companies within Vogel Communications Group, we can significantly expand our product portfolio for clients – in two directions, as both organisations complement each other with their strong expertise.” The takeover marks a significant milestone in VCG’s ongoing strategic development. The client portfolio comprises mainly B2B clients from the consulting and software, chemicals and pharmaceuticals as well as energy and mobility sectors.
Axel Springer Corporate Solutions specialises in developing and implementing high-quality communications solutions for companies – from customer magazines and digital platforms to multimedia content projects. Its clients include Bayer, CLAAS, Roland Berger and Lufthansa. ASCS was founded by Frank Parlow and Lutz Thalmann in 2011 and initially managed by them as a department of Axel Springer SE, before being spun off in 2018. Since then, ASCS – with an impressive portfolio of references – has grown continuously and generates annual revenues well into the double-digit millions. Axel Springer’s sale of the company follows a strategic portfolio focus after the implementation of a new corporate structure.
Claudius Senst, Chief Operating Officer and member of the Executive Board of Axel Springer SE: “With entrepreneurial spirit, a passion for communications and strategic insight, the team around Frank and Lutz has built an agency that sets standards in its field. After years of consistent growth, now is the right time to take the next step and continue this success story under the umbrella of Vogel Communications Group. We sincerely thank the entire team for its tremendous commitment and wish the entire team all the best for the future.”
Lutz Thalmann comments: “We would like to express our sincere thanks to Axel Springer for the relationship of trust and valuable support over the past few years. Together, we have successfully developed our company. We are now very much looking forward to the next chapter. The merger opens up new perspectives, particularly by diversifying our range of services. The combined expertise of ASCS and VCS guarantees innovative, tailored communication solutions for our clients.”
Frank Parlow adds: “This groundbreaking combination creates far more than a strong agency group – it is becoming a place where talent, ideas and innovation come together. As one, we are shaping the future of B2B communications – boldly, creatively and with the firm resolve to set new standards.”
Vogel Communications Group (VCG), with 800 employees and annual revenues of around €100 million, is a leading provider of B2B communications and specialist information. The international group has 12 locations in the German-speaking region and a global network of licensing partners, with a particular focus on China. VCG offers an in-house network of nine communications agencies and service companies and organises numerous successful business events.
Axel Springer Corporate Solutions is one of the leading content marketing agencies in the German-speaking region. With an interdisciplinary team covering consulting, editorial, design and project management, the agency develops tailored communications solutions for more than 40 renowned clients, including numerous DAX-listed companies. Its services range from strategic consulting and creative storytelling to data-driven content marketing.
The Vogel Corporate Solutions GmbH is a consultancy specialising in digital marketing and corporate communications. Founded in 2010, the company is based in Würzburg and specialises in the needs of the B2B sector across disciplines, nationally and internationally. The agency offers tailored strategies and multichannel concepts that deliver measurable results in customer retention, brand building and lead generation – and knows how its clients can achieve maximum visibility.
