What CB does

CB (Centraal Boekhuis B.V.) is the central logistics provider for the Dutch and Belgian book trade, distributing physical books, e-books, and audiobooks from publishers to booksellers and end consumers. Founded in 1871 as 'het Bestelhuis van den Nederlandschen Boekhandel', CB connects publishers, booksellers, and consumers through a proprietary CB Online portal, financial settlement services (factoring, invoicing, debtor management), and a 150,000 m² warehouse network across Culemborg, Helmond, Alphen aan den Rijn (Netherlands), and Zele (Belgium), with 25,000 packages shipped per day and next-day delivery before a 23:00 order cutoff in the Benelux.

The company extended into healthcare logistics in 2012 under the CB Healthcare brand and through the Hulpmiddelbezorgd subsidiary, providing GDP-compliant storage, medical device delivery, B2B and B2C fulfilment, and the SUP ordering platform for reimbursable medical aids. Underlying technology is built on Oracle databases running on Exadata hardware (with a planned migration to Oracle Cloud@Customer Exadata in H2 2026 / early 2027), Oracle Forms, APEX, Weblogic, Infor WMS, and a Shopify integration layer for B2C flows; a data science team develops predictive algorithms for demand forecasting, inventory, and route optimization. CB holds ISO 9001, ISAE 3402, GDP, SEMH, and AEO-CPAT certifications, received the Royal Predicate from King Willem-Alexander in April 2021, and operates as a privately held B.V. whose shares are held by the Stichting tot Beheer van de Aandelen van Centraal Boekhuis B.V. foundation.

CB generates revenue through a mix of recurring subscriptions and per-transaction fees for book distribution and e-fulfilment, subscription fees for e-book and audiobook distribution and publisher analytics, transaction-based fees for Print on Demand (recently reduced by an average of 20% in January 2026), professional services for financial administration, and managed services for healthcare logistics. Disclosed revenue is €110 million for FY2025 with an €8 million operating result, supporting roughly 800-1,000+ professionals and serving named clients across both segments including Luscii, Gladskin, Essity, Paula's Choice, Maquet, Maven Publishing, Van Ditmar, Noordhoff, Phaidon, and Managementboek.nl.

Name

CB

Legal name

Centraal Boekhuis B.V.

Website

https://cb.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CB (Centraal Boekhuis) is the central logistics provider for the Dutch and Belgian book trade, distributing physical books, e-books, and audiobooks via proprietary platforms and 150,000 m² of automated warehouses. Since 2012 it has also served healthcare suppliers with GDP-compliant medical device distribution and B2B/B2C fulfilment across the Benelux and selected EU markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Culemborg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Distribution and Logistics Services: CB handles physical book distribution for publishers to booksellers across the Netherlands and Belgium, and internationally in the EU. Revenue is generated through subscription fees and per-transaction charges for order processing and physical delivery.
2. E-fulfilment: E-commerce order fulfilment services for publishers and booksellers, including B2C parcel delivery, returns handling, and cross-border shipping. B2C and B2B fulfilment for international healthcare and media brands.
3. E-book and Audiobook Distribution: Digital content distribution for publishers, delivering e-books and audiobooks to consumers and retailers through a single platform.
4. Print on Demand: Single-copy print-on-demand production eliminating publisher inventory requirements. CB recently reduced Single Copy POD rates by an average of 20%.
5. Financial Services: Factoring, debitorenbeheer (debtor management), invoicing, and order management system services for publishers and booksellers.
6. Healthcare Logistics: Logistics solutions for the healthcare industry including medical device delivery, order platforms (SUP), and declaration services. Services for healthcare suppliers, manufacturers, and institutions including GDP-compliant storage and distribution.
7. Analytics and Information Services: Publisher and bookseller analytics dashboards providing real-time sales, inventory, and market performance data. Management information and ISBN databases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CB (Centraal Boekhuis) is an integrated logistics services provider operating two main divisions. The Media division offers physical book distribution, print on demand, e-book and audiobook distribution, e-fulfilment, retail logistics, warehousing, financial services, and analytics for publishers and booksellers across the Benelux. The Healthcare division provides GDP-compliant medical device distribution, B2C/B2B fulfilment, order platforms (SUP), and declaration services for healthcare suppliers, manufacturers, institutions, and patients.

Product overview

CB (Centraal Boekhuis) is a logistics services company operating in two primary sectors: Media (book publishing and distribution) and Healthcare. The Media division offers a comprehensive suite including physical book distribution, print on demand, e-book and audiobook distribution, European distribution, e-fulfillment, retail logistics, warehousing, analytics, financial services, and CB Online portal. The Healthcare division provides specialized logistics including medical device delivery, ordering platforms (SUP), fulfillment services, and declaration processing. The company operates primarily as a B2B logistics provider with state-of-the-art automated warehouses in the Netherlands and Belgium, serving publishers, booksellers, healthcare providers, and patients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Book Distribution (Media)
• Print on Demand
• E-book Distribution
• Audiobook Distribution
• E-fulfilment
• Retail Logistics
• European Distribution
• Warehousing
• CB Online Portal
• Financial Services
• Educational Logistics
• Non-books Distribution
• Distribution of Foreign Books
• SUP (Bestelplatform voor de Zorg)
• Medical Device Delivery
• Healthcare Fulfilment
• Declaration Service (Declaratieservice)
• Hulpmiddelbezorgd

Quantifiable outcome

• Next-day delivery for orders placed before 23:00 in the Netherlands and Belgium
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PrintforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationCB works with Printforce for Print on Demand services, enabling books to be always available even without stock. This partnership enables CB to offer publishers inventory-free publishing through POD technology.
• Audax Media LogisticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCB collaborates with Audax Media Logistics as part of its carrier network to make cargo transport more efficient and sustainable.
• PostNLminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCB partners with PostNL as part of its distribution network for efficient and sustainable parcel delivery in the Netherlands.
• CityHubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCB collaborates with CityHub as part of its carrier network for sustainable last-mile delivery solutions.
• Thuiswinkel.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCB is a business partner of Thuiswinkel.org, the Dutch association for webshops, providing credibility and market access within the Dutch e-commerce ecosystem.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ingram Content Group: Largest global book distributor with physical distribution, POD, and digital content services. Acquired Dutch e-fulfilment player Docdata in 2015 and is the closest international comparable to CB's Media business.
• Libri GmbH: German book wholesale and distribution company serving publishers and booksellers with logistics, fulfilment, and digital distribution. Closest German-language comparable to CB's Media distribution model.
• Mediq: Netherlands-based medical device and home healthcare distributor with pan-European operations. Directly comparable to CB Healthcare in medical device distribution and home delivery of healthcare products.
• BOD Books on Demand: German print-on-demand book specialist providing single-copy and short-run POD services to publishers. Directly comparable to CB's Single Copy Print on Demand offering.

Regional players

• Vereinigte Verlagsauslieferung (VVA): Leading German book distribution service provider serving publishers with physical book distribution and digital services. Comparable regional peer in the DACH book trade.
• KNV Zeitfracht: German book distribution and logistics provider owned by Zeitfracht, serving publishers and retailers. Similar hub-and-spoke distribution model serving the German-language book trade.
• Buchlogistik (formerly Umbreit): German book distribution and logistics specialist serving publishers with warehousing, fulfilment, and distribution. Comparable German regional book logistics peer.

Broad incumbents

• Alliance Healthcare: European pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor operating across multiple countries. Comparable to CB Healthcare as a broader, well-established healthcare distribution incumbent with deeper resources.
• PHOENIX Group: One of Europe's largest pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution groups with pan-European operations. Comparable broad incumbent in healthcare logistics competing with CB Healthcare.
• DHL Supply Chain: Global contract logistics provider offering warehousing, fulfilment, and distribution services across sectors. Broad incumbent competitor in e-fulfilment and contract logistics where CB Healthcare operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cb-ahead-with-smart-logistics
• Xx.com/cb_twit
• Facebookfacebook.com/cblogistics

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 CB