Cappelen Damm Acquires Høyskoleforlaget

Norwegian book publisher Cappelen Damm has announced it will acquire educational materials and textbook publisher Høyskoleforlaget. Based in Kristiansand, Høyskoleforlaget is among the premier publishers of its kind in Norway, focusing on health care and social issues, pre-school and teacher education, humanities, natural and social sciences as well as journalism and media studies. Høyskoleforlaget has 13 employees and is expected to have a turnover of over NOK 20 million in 2011. The publisher has a strong project portfolio with a large network of writers from around the country.

Høyskoleforlaget and Cappelen Damm Akademisk, the publisher's educational materials and textbook division, complement each other well, says Anders Skogvold, head of Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
"The breadth and the opportunities we get through the merger will strengthen the management of authors' rights on all levels," he says. "The merger will provide greater effectiveness to the market."

Norunn Tveiten Benestad, head of Høyskoleforlaget says: "It was primarily to meet digital challenges that Høyskoleforlaget was looking for a cooperation with a major player who has the capital and technology to help develop the company."

Høyskoleforlaget will continue to run as a parallel unit to Cappelen Damm Akademisk, located in Kristiansand and led by Norunn Tveiten Benestad.

"Cappelen Damm has demonstrated a strong willingness and ability to develop and grow in the publishing industry and has a clear ambition to grow within the higher education market," says Tom Harald Jenssen, CEO of Cappelen Damm. "With the acquisition of Høyskoleforlaget, Cappelen Damm gets a new and exciting platform for further development of a niche area with ​​good growth.

The acquisition is subject to government approval. Once approved by the Competition Authority, Høyskoleforlaget will be called Cappelen Damm Høyskoleforlaget.