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Penton Acquires WeldingWeb.com; Forum Site Adds Major Interactive Community to WeldingDesign.comCLEVELAND --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 28, 2006 -- Penton Media (OTCBB:PTON) announced today that it has acquired WeldingWeb.com, an online community and discussion forum operated by Lawn Care Success, of Pittsburgh. Terms weren't disclosed. Bob Rosenbaum, publisher of Penton's Metalworking Group, said that Welding.Web.com is being integrated with Penton's Weldingdesign.com and adds a key interactive component to the Group, which also includes Welding Design & Fabrication and Gases & Welding Distributor magazines. WeldingWeb.com has more than 7,000 registered members and generates more than 220,000 page views monthly. "WeldingWeb.com has a strong, active community and adds a grassroots interactive resource to Penton's information-rich Weldingdesign.com," Rosenbaum said. "This is a tremendous marriage; the welding community will now find one place to go for extensive technical and product information and market interaction. Suppliers gain by far the strongest online audience in our market, with reach into a qualified, engaged community of professionals working in the welding and fabrication, as well as the welding and gases distributor community." WeldingWeb.com was launched in 2003 by Lawn Care Success, adding to its forum sites serving the green industry. "We have chosen to direct our energies to our core market, and we're delighted WeldingWeb is finding a home with Penton where it will be part of a growing media family focused on the needs of the welding and fabrication market," said Sean Adams, president, Lawn Care Success. "WeldingWeb.com users will experience tremendous value as the site is integrated into Penton's metals and gases information products." David Nussbaum, CEO of Penton, said, "We are focused on providing every market we serve with strong eMedia products that enhance communication, build community and offer superior marketing solutions for our customers. A key part of our growth strategy is to continue to aggressively expand our eMedia offerings, through bolt-on acquisitions such as this transaction, internal product development and strategic partnerships." About the Penton Metalworking Group and Penton Media Penton's Metalworking Group comprises the only independent media brands serving the welding, fabrication and industrial gases industries. In addition to Weldingdesign.com and now WeldingWeb.com, the Group includes: Welding Design & Fabrication magazine, which is published monthly and has a controlled circulation of 40,000 qualified readers who are involved directly in management of welding and fabrication operations. Gases & Welding Distributor magazine is published seven times a year. It provides the most extensive reach of any publication, association or entity to distributors and wholesalers that support the welding and fabrication community. It has a controlled circulation of 5,000. Other major Penton brands serving the manufacturing sector include American Machinist, IndustryWeek and New Equipment Digest. Penton Media is a diversified business-to-business media company that provides high-quality content and integrated marketing solutions to several major industries, including: manufacturing; design/engineering; aviation; business technology/enterprise IT; electronics; food/retail; government/compliance; leisure/hospitality; mechanical systems/construction; health/nutrition and natural and organic products; and supply chain. |
