Europe's largest cloud and hosting provider IONOS, a United Internet Group company, has recently acquired a Cologne-based software development company, WE22, to increase its maintenance and web hosting offerings for its users.

Founded in 1999 by Robert Schovenberg and Cornel Schnietz as Content Management AG, WE22 is known for its white-label website builder CM4all. It has been used to create and operate more than 5 million websites to date. Since 2000, CM4all has been adapted for over 25 different languages and has proven to be an essential product offering for over 50 hosting providers worldwide.

Under the Web4Business brand, WE22 offers website creation and online marketing services to small businesses in Germany. WE22 employs more than 140 people at its headquarters in Cologne and Berlin, as well as in Erfurt.

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

"We are pleased that, as a member of the IONOS family, we can now significantly strengthen our forces, and continue to support the competitiveness of our customers and partners with the best software," said Robert Schovenberg, co-founder and CEO of WE22 AG. "Our target groups and geographic footprints are an ideal match.

"WE22's products and services will also be available to IONOS customers in the future. CM4all will continue to be offered as a white-label solution for other internet providers and business customers. Customers and partners of WE22 will benefit from even faster development and the expertise of IONOS.

The management of WE22 with the founders as well as Steffen Heym will continue to steer the further development of the company as a wholly-owned subsidiary of IONOS.