IONOS snaps up website builder

Person looking at website on laptop
(Image credit: Pexels)

European cloud and hosting giant IONOS has announced that it has acquired the software manufacturer and operator WE22 AG for an undisclosed sum.

First founded back in 1999 by Robert Schovenberg and Cornel Shnietz as Content Management AG, Cologne-based WE22 has become widely known for its white label website builder CM4all.

So far more than 5m websites have been created and operated using the website builder that is available in over 25 different languages. In addition to offering CM4all directly, WE22 has also made its website builder available from more than 50 web hosting providers worldwide since the year 2000.

CM4all

Under its Web4Business brand, WE22 offers website creation and online marketing services to small businesses and the company employees over 140 people at its headquarters in Cologne and Berlin as well as at its offices in Erfurt.

CEO of IONOS Achim Weiß explained in a press release how WE22's CM4all will complement its own hosting services, saying:

"CM4all is one of the most sophisticated website builders in the world. We have been selling the software for many years in our group of companies and know the management very well. With its full-service offering for creating websites, WE22 is the ideal complement to IONOS' hosting business."

While WE22's products and services will soon be available to IONOS customers, CM4all will continue to be offered as a white-label solution for other internet providers and business customers. The company's founders and managing director Steffen Heym will continue to lead its website builder business as a wholly-owned subsidiary of IONOS.

Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.