Strengholt Holding
Strengholt BV was founded in 1928 as a publisher of books and magazines. It has since grown to become an international media and entertainment company.
The current core activities
- leasing music rights and the national and international administration of copyrights;
- the publication and distribution of (sheet) music both nationally and internationally;
- the production, distribution and marketing of audio and visual recordings;
- the publication of books, magazines and specials;
- the development and realization of media and digital projects.
In 1971 Strengholt relocated its head office from the Leidsegracht in Amsterdam to Naarden and established itself in the monumental ‘Oud-Bussem’ Hofstede. This extensive complex, with the largest thatched roof in the Netherlands, was built between 1903–1906 and for the first 50 years it was used as a hygienic milking parlour. The architects Berlage and Dudok considered it to be the best work of master builder K.P.C. de Bazel (1869–1923). The ‘Oud-Bussem’ Hofstede is now a listed building.
Strengholt Music Group
Strengholt Music Group has been one of the largest independent music publishers in the Benelux for more than 50 years.
Amongst other things, the group’s activities include the leasing of music rights(copyrights), publishing (sheet) music and exclusively representing foreign and Dutch music publishers such as Stage Entertainment, NOS and MTV Networks.
The extensive catalogue of the Strengholt Music Group includes evergreens, national and international hits by, amongst others, Chuck Berry, Jan Smit, Belinda Meuldijk (Rob de Nijs), Emile Hartkamp (Frans Bauer), Piet Souer, Ferry Corsten, Showtek, Markus Schulz, Paul Elstak, Peter van Asten and Laurens van Rooyen.[1]
As the owner of Dureco – one of the oldest record labels in the Netherlands – the Strengholt Music Group is involved in leasing numerous music productions. The catalogue includes artists such as Vader Abraham, Corry & de Rekels, Jacques Herb, Intwine, De Kermisklanten, Anita Meyer, Mieke, Benny Neyman and many more.[2]
Strengholt Entertainment
Strengholt Entertainment sells and distrubutes media products to retailers. Amongst those activities, they also organise the sale, marketing and distribution of dvd's, Blu-ray, cd's, games and media accessories.
Strengholt Connect
Strengholt Connect is an IT and marketing agency. Strengholt Connect develops websites and web shops and manages online marketing for various companies. This company is responsible for the development of Free Record Shop, also known as FRS.
Strengholt MultiMedia
Strengholt MultiMedia is one of the leading publishers in the Netherlands in the field of special-interest DVDs and Blu-ray Discs.
Sport, documentaries, lifestyle, culture and travel, films, war, music, The Royal family, TV series / programmes, nature and animals and historical reviews form part of the diverse catalogue. Sport represents an important element of the catalogue and includes football, cycle racing, skating and hockey.
Of historical significance are the Beeld van Nederland series with the NOS/Polygoon newsreels from 1920–2010, De strijd tegen het water and the Koninklijk Huis. The sport DVDs and historical reviews are produced in collaboration with the NOS and the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision.
European Music Centre (EMC)
EMC is both a publisher and distributor of sheet music covering all types of music genres. EMC is a leading player in the field of educational music publications. A variety of songbooks of well-known Dutch artists is also published, including Nick & Simon, Marco Borsato and Boudewijn de Groot.
As a distributor, EMC represents 50 national and international publishing houses. The EMC sales team visits music shops throughout Europe.
Strengholt Content
Strengholt Content focuses on the development of content for new media and television. This business unit develops and creates sponsored format for brands, businesses and organisations by drawing as much effective attention as possible to their products and services. Strengholt Content is responsible for the Beauty+ magazine, a weekly TV programme broadcast by RTL4 with advertisers and sponsors from the beauty sector.
Strengholt's Books
Strengholt United Media
The book publishing house is the Strengholt’s oldest line of business (1928) and in its long history has managed to build up a diverse list, both in the field of fiction and non-fiction.
>The principal list titles cover health, esoteric/parapsychology, history and politics, management and media, nature and animals, children and youngsters, music, culinary art, biographies and novels. Literary jewels such as the Dutch translations of The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway), Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Richard Bach), The Source (James Michener) have been published by Strengholt from way back. The publisher is also strongly represented in the music book market, with titles such as Eenvoudige muziekleer (Hennie Schouten) and Professioneel zingen voor iedereen (Ineke van Doorn). In addition to publications for the regular book trade channel, Strengholt also produces sponsored publications for other sales channels.
Strengholt Magazines
As a publisher of magazines and specials, Strengholt Magazines publishes the magazine Beauty+ to which medical specialists contribute. Beauty+ is a particularly successful media initiative in the field of cosmetic treatments, skin and hair care, anti-aging and wellness.