FOCUS: REGIONAL MAGAZINES: Ringier AG in extension of ownership of Asia Inflight

Swiss publisher and printer Ringier AG has extended its shares

ownership in Asia Inflight to 90 per cent.

Ringier initially bought 51 per cent of the publisher of CAAC Inflight

Magazine in 1998.

Ringier, which publishes more than 50 titles in nine countries around

the world, has been increasing its presence in Asia by establishing a

joint printing plant in Hong Kong with Times Publishing of Singapore,

and a pre-press centre in Hanoi.

The company publishes five titles in Vietnam and six in China, through

Ringier Trade Publishing.

The five printing centres owned by Ringier have been printing Asia

Inflight's publications in Hong Kong for the past five years, as well as

major titles such as Newsweek, The Economist, Esquire (Hong Kong

edition) and Fortune China.