The possible end of the Cewe Summit conflict

January 23, 2023

European graphics giant Cewe, which derives most of its turnover from photo-related production, has been rattling on top for some time now. With the departure of 2 top executives, peace seems to have returned.

If you google Cewe, you will mainly get offers for photo book production. But the group is bigger and provides a variety of graphic production packages. As well as a head office in Oldenburg, Cewe has production sites in Mönchengladbach, Eschbach near Freiburg, Germering near Munich, Saxoprint in Dresden, Berlin, Frechen near Cologne, Bad Kreuznach and Münster. In other European countries, Cewe has branches in the Czech Republic (Praha), France (Paris, Rennes, Montpellier), Poland (Kosel in Upper Silesia), Hungary (Budapest) and England (Warwick).

Yvonne Rostock Promise

A solution to the months-long internal conflict over the leadership of the board of directors of the Neumüller Cewe Color Foundation was announced in November with the appointment of Yvonne Rostock, reports Judith Grajewski of beyond-print.net. At the turn of the year, the previous chairman of the board, Dr. Christian Friege, and Dr. Rolf Hollander, chairman of the board, left the company. While one left of his own accord, the other was forced to resign. All signs point to a restoration of unity in Cewe.

Recurring disputes

Since the Board of Trustees of the Cewe Color Foundation decided in the spring of 2022 that Dr. Christian Friege after the turn of the year, there were repeated clashes within the group. This was because the Board of Trustees and the heirs of the company’s founder, Heinz Neumüller, who together held 27.1% of Cewe’s largest shareholder, did not agree with the decision and chose to extend the contract.

The new chairman of the Executive Board will take over in March

The situation should have died down in November last year with the announcement that Yvonne Rostock would become Dr. Christian Friege will succeed as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Alexander Neumüller, beneficiary of the Neumüller Cewe Color Foundation, has determined that Friege’s special right to appoint a member of the Board of Directors will allow Friege to remain on the company’s Board of Directors after the turn of the year. However, Friege has now left the Group at his own request to take on new professional challenges.

Still restless

However, news portal NWZOnline recently reported that Hollander wants to defend himself against the decision. Therefore, the dispute on Cewe will not be resolved quickly, the German-language website concludes. Read more about this development outside-print.net.