Established by the publisher of the same name in 1946, Axel Springer is Germany's largest newspaper and third-largest magazine publisher. In a recent report, the company revealed its plans to move its entire organization to the Mac platform, over the course of five years. The company currently uses 12,000 computers.

So, 12,000 Macs are heading to Axel Springer AG. Nice. Some 3,889 iMacs are also heading to Las Vegas, to the Fontainebleau resort, did you know that? It's true what they say then - Apple must be doing alright lately.

"The core competence of Axel Springer is excellent journalism - topical, informative and entertaining. Axel Springer creates and distributes information and entertainment through newspapers, magazines and digital media services. Its broad media portfolio encompasses successfully established multimedia brand families such as the BILD- and WELT-Groups," the company's website reveals. It has over 170 newspapers and magazines, more than 50 online offerings for various different interest groups and information needs, but also holds rights in television and radio stations, being active in a total of 33 countries.

Axel Springer claims that its 10,000 employees generated total revenues of € 2,578 million and an EBITA (Earnings Before Interests, Taxes and Amortizations) of € 422 million in the fiscal year 2007.

TUAW reports that CEO Matthias Döpfner claims in a video message to employees that the switch was a logical decision, citing "ease-of-use, appearance, and total cost of ownership," according to the unofficial weblog. The entire organization will "migrate" over the course of five years, while employees can start buying and using Macs and iPhones beginning with this month, the same report notes.

The publishing house is situated at Axel-Springer-Strasse, on the corner of Kochstrasse, in the Berlin Mitte/Kreuzberg district, not far from Friedrichstrasse and Checkpoint Charlie. If you are interested in working there (now that they've made the switch), their trainee program is directed towards university graduates and offers practical "learning by doing" as an individual approach to responsibility in the specialist departments or in management.