Merger: SnowWorld & Snowcentres Join Forces
Courtesy of SnowWorld
(eap) The Netherlands-based indoor ski hall operator SnowWorld and the British operator Snowcentres have announced their merger: With a total of twelve locations in five countries (the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and France), more than 4.5 million visitors annually, and over 120 million euros in revenue, the new group of companies is positioning itself as the European market leader in the year-round indoor skiing, snowboarding, and winter sports segment. The group will employ more than 1,000 full-time staff. According to the group, the merger will also create the largest ski school in the world.
The ownership structure of the new company provides for a 50/50 stake between SnowWorld’s major shareholder Alychlo (the investment holding company of Belgian entrepreneur Marc Coucke) and the previous Snowcentres shareholders. Thanks to its strong financial base, the group aims to continue expanding in both Europe and the United Kingdom in the future. To this end, the company plans to leverage internal and external synergies, improve product quality, and pursue sustainability goals such as long-term energy neutrality, according to its own statements. The international management team will be based in Roosendaal, the Netherlands, with Wim Hubrechtsen as Group CEO, supported by Ian Brown (Managing Director Snowcentres), Bas van Tilborg (Group CFO), and Maarten Schürmann (CCO).
Wim Hubrechtsen, CEO of SnowWorld Group, declares: “This combination marks a natural next step in our growth journey and a powerful extension of SnowWorld’s existing strategy. […] Beyond the geographical complementarity, our organisations share a remarkable cultural fit. […] Together, we are ideally positioned to accelerate our sustainable growth, expand our international footprint, and continue to raise the bar for quality and innovation in indoor winter sports.” ■
