Zeitfracht

What Zeitfracht does

Zeitfracht Medien GmbH, trading as Kolibri360, is a German privately held GmbH providing logistics, eCommerce fulfillment, and book-trade services to the DACH market. The company operates three sites in Germany, including one of the largest and most modern automated logistics centers in Europe in Erfurt, supported by operations in Stuttgart and Heeslingen. Its core book-trade franchise spans barsortiment (wholesale book distribution), Verlagsauslieferung (publisher distribution), and an integrated retail software stack comprising the Buch&Co. e-commerce platform, pcbis.de (information and ordering system), fitbis.de (inventory management), buchkatalog.de, the Buch&Co. mobile app, and self-service portals (InfoCockpit, Sendungscockpit, Kundenportal). The technology stack also includes AI-supported digital book advisory launched in 2026, Print-on-Demand integration, and time-based shipping services (Bücherwagendienst).

Beyond the book trade, Zeitfracht runs a Consumer Electronics vertical covering warehousing, distribution, e-commerce, and retail services, and a transport arm (Zeitfracht Logistik) providing national and international shipping with customs clearance. The business model is multi-stream: transaction-based fees on book wholesale, publisher distribution, fulfillment services, and print-on-demand, plus subscription/recurring licensing of the Buch&Co. e-commerce platform to independent bookshops (with barsortimentsrabatt retained by the retailer). Pricing for fulfillment is custom-quoted, while book wholesale follows the established barsortiment discount framework. Go-to-market combines dedicated regional field sales (organized by German postal-code zones plus Austria and Switzerland) with self-service customer portals and channel partnerships across the independent bookshop network.

The company serves ~1,650 employees, represents roughly 51 nationalities across three locations, and is governed by three Managing Directors (Thomas Raff, Wolfram Simon-Schröter, Jan Sinram). It is privately held with no disclosed funding, ownership, or listing information.

Name

Zeitfracht

Legal name

Zeitfracht Medien GmbH

Website

https://zeitfracht.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1829

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Zeitfracht (trading as Kolibri360) provides logistics, eCommerce fulfillment, and book-trade services to publishers, independent bookshops, and consumer electronics brands across the DACH region from three German sites, including one of Europe's largest automated logistics centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics and eCommerce Fulfillment Services

NAICS

Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers (424920), Warehousing and Storage (493), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (492110), Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Online B2B Grocery Supply for Small Businesses (Wholesale-to-Consumer/Prosumer) (CRAHAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wholesale / Club Store Bulk Grocery Delivery (TLAAAHAH), Premium B2B Express & Scheduled Time-Window Delivery (TLAAABAE), Wholesale/B2B Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Logistics fulfillment services
• ECommerce fulfillment
• Book wholesale distribution
• Warehouse management
• Transport logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fulfillment and Logistics Services: Comprehensive logistics services including warehousing, pick-and-pack, shipping, and returns management for eCommerce businesses across multiple product categories (media, electronics, consumer products, fashion). Billed as a managed service, typically per-unit or per-transaction.
2. Book Wholesale and Distribution: Distribution of books to bookshops through barsortiment (wholesale) model. Customers receive barsortimentsrabatt (wholesale discount) on purchases made through the online shop. Revenue derived from margin on book sales to retail bookshops.
3. E-Commerce Platform Licensing: Licensing of the Buch&Co. online shop system to independent bookshops, with integrated logistics. Bookshop owners retain ownership of the shop and gain access to barsortiment pricing.
4. Publisher Distribution Services (Verlagsauslieferung): Publisher delivery and distribution services for publishers (Verlage) through the Verlagsauslieferung arm, managing the physical distribution of books from publishers to retailers.
5. Print-on-Demand: On-demand book printing services integrated with the e-commerce and fulfillment platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Zeitfracht, operating as Kolibri360, provides B2B logistics and eCommerce fulfillment services for the book trade, publishing, consumer electronics, and consumer products/fashion sectors. Core offerings include warehousing, pick-and-pack, shipping, returns management, and value-added services from one of Europe's largest automated logistics centers in Erfurt. The company additionally runs the German Barsortiment (book wholesale), Verlagsauslieferung (publisher distribution), the Bücherwagendienst book van service, Print-on-Demand book production, an E-Commerce Solution for independent bookshops, and national/international Transport with customs clearance.

Product overview

Zeitfracht operates Kolibri360 as its primary logistics and eCommerce fulfillment platform, offering a comprehensive suite of services spanning warehousing, pick-and-pack, shipping, and returns management. The portfolio includes specialized solutions for the book trade such as Buch&Co. (retail bookstore brand), pcbis.de (information and ordering system), fitbis.de (inventory management), and an E-Commerce Solution/onlineshop for bookstores. Additional offerings include Print On Demand, Mein InfoCockpit (document self-service portal), Sendungserfassung (shipment tracking), the Kundenportal (customer service portal), buchkatalog.de (book catalog), and the Buch&Co. mobile app. The company also provides Consumer Electronics logistics and Transport services with customs clearance. All these products are interconnected within the Kolibri360 ecosystem, enabling seamless operations from publisher distribution through retail fulfillment to end-customer delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Buch&Co. Book retail brand offering book recommendations, events, and community services for independent bookstores.
• buchkatalog.de
• Buch&Co. App
• E-Commerce Solution (ECS)
• Mein InfoCockpit
• Sendungscockpit
• Zeitfracht Logistik
• Bücherwagendienst (BWD)

Products and services

• Kolibri360 Logistics and eCommerce Fulfillment Comprehensive B2B fulfillment solution including warehousing, pick-and-pack, shipping, returns management, value-added services, and e-commerce operations for clients in media, consumer electronics, consumer products, and fashion/lifestyle sectors. Serves businesses from startups to international corporations.
• E-Commerce Solution / Onlineshop (Buch&Co.)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90 years of continuous operation in the German logistics sector
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• AOK PLUSminorOthers · 1 January 2025Health and wellness cooperation at the Erfurt location. AOK PLUS and Zeitfracht Medien GmbH collaborate on employee health promotion, workload reduction, and preventive health measures. Partnership was extended after a successful first year.
• German Airways, Speedlink, Fairtronics, RapoominorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint participation in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) season opener at Red Bull Ring. Kolibri360 was part of this multi-brand sponsorship activation supporting the racing event, alongside German Airways, Speedlink, Fairtronics, and Rapoo.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fiege Logistik: Fiege is a major European contract logistics and fulfillment provider with multi-vertical capabilities including consumer electronics, fashion, and retail. Directly comparable to Kolibri360's generalist fulfillment business, though at substantially larger scale.
• DHL Supply Chain: DHL Supply Chain is the global contract logistics leader with significant consumer electronics, retail, and e-commerce fulfillment operations in DACH. Competes with Kolibri360 for multi-vertical fulfillment contracts at a vastly larger scale and global footprint.
• Ingram Content Group: Ingram is the largest English-language book distributor globally, providing wholesale, print-on-demand, and digital services. A structural analog for Zeitfracht's barsortiment, POD, and publisher distribution model, though operating in different geographies.
• Amazon (Germany): Amazon operates Germany's largest online book retail and a competing fulfillment/logistics infrastructure. While not a book wholesaler, Amazon captures the end-customer demand that Zeitfracht's independent bookshop customers serve, making it the dominant indirect competitor in the channel.

Direct peers

• Libri GmbH: Libri is the other dominant German Barsortiment operator, headquartered in Hamburg, providing book wholesale, fulfillment, and e-commerce services to independent bookshops across DACH. Direct head-to-head competitor to Zeitfracht in barsortiment, Verlagsauslieferung, and bookstore e-commerce platform services.
• Umbreit GmbH & Co. KG: Umbreit is a German book logistics and distribution specialist serving publishers and bookshops across DACH. Comparable in book-trade focus and provides direct competitive overlap with Zeitfracht's barsortiment and Verlagsauslieferung services.
• KNV Zeitfracht (Koch, Neff & Volckmar): KNV is a long-established German book wholesale and distribution business covering the DACH region, with overlapping barsortiment and publisher distribution capabilities. Comparable in scale and customer base to Zeitfracht's book logistics operations.

Emerging players

• Bookwire: Bookwire is a Frankfurt-based digital book distribution and e-book/audiobook services provider. Represents the emerging digital channel of book distribution where Zeitfracht currently has lighter footprint, but structurally adjacent to its publisher services.

Regional players

• Thalia Bücher GmbH: Thalia is the largest German bookstore chain, operating physical retail and a major online shop. Functions both as a customer of book wholesalers and as a competing end-channel for book discovery, providing a structural counterweight to Zeitfracht's independent-bookshop base.
• Hugendubel: Hugendubel is a major German bookstore chain with physical stores and online retail. Comparable regional book-retail positioning and serves as both a customer segment for Zeitfracht's wholesale services and a competing consumer-facing channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zeitfrachtmedien
• Instagraminstagram.com/_kolibri360

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zeitfracht