The British publisher Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson, known for its nautical charts and manuals, and the Austrian chart specialists Freytag & Berndt are to merge. The new company will be based in Vienna under the joint name FB Imray. The comprehensive product range, including many standard works of English hunting literature, is to be continued and further developed.
The new organisation is due to be launched in the summer, with further details to follow. The focus will be on producing high-quality nautical charts and publications, while at the same time investing in new digital products for sailors.
Imray and Freytag & Berndt under one roof in future
Carl Rauch, Managing Director of FB: "With this joint venture, we are taking a big step towards becoming an internationally active publishing house. By continuing and further developing the portfolio and tapping into digital opportunities, we are creating innovative solutions for nautical experts. At the same time, licensing our data to third-party providers and foreign-language publishers opens up new markets and growth potential for us."
Lucy Williams, Managing Director of Imray: "By combining our maritime knowledge with Imray's cartographic capabilities, we are securing the future of Imray's nautical charts and publications while opening the door to new development and growth opportunities. Our commitment to providing sailors with trusted, high quality navigational resources remains at the heart of what we do."
Two traditional companies
Imray, Laurie, Norie and Wilson Ltd was formed in 1904 through the merger of three nautical chart publishers. The company publishes electronic and printed nautical charts, high-quality manuals and travel guides from well-known sailing authors and clubs as well as nautical information via apps.
freytag & berndt is an Austrian company with a rich tradition dating back to 1770. freytag & berndt is the market leader in Austria in the field of cartography and specialises in road maps, city maps as well as hiking, cycling and leisure maps. The company is based in Vienna.
