Butzon & Bercker

What Butzon & Bercker does

Butzon & Bercker GmbH is a 5th-generation family-owned German publisher and manufacturer of Christian religious products, founded in 1870 and headquartered in Kevelaer, Germany. The company operates across five core product categories: Christian books (gift books, children's books, spiritual titles, song books, regional literature), handcrafted religious art objects and gifts (figurines, crosses, pendants, candles, hand-warmers, rosaries, and church furnishings), greeting cards for religious occasions, the proprietary MAGNIFICAT devotional magazine, and Christian-themed calendars. Its principal technical and competitive asset is an in-house bronze foundry (Bronzegießerei) staffed by approximately 20 specialists that produces the exclusive BERCKER art-line — figurines, sculptures, and home accessories in bronze, slate, and glass designed by named artists. Product assortment is further curated by thematic collections (Engel, Maria, Frieden, Trauer, Weihnachten) and gift occasions (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Wedding, Funeral), and the company extends its range into French and Dutch Christian art sub-lines.

The business operates a hybrid B2C/B2B model. Direct-to-consumer revenue is generated through the owned e-commerce storefront (butzon-bercker.de) with free shipping in Germany above €49, supported by social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn), email newsletters, and trade-press coverage. Wholesale revenue comes from a structured B2B dealer and retailer program supplying bookshops and gift stores with point-of-sale displays and promotional materials, and from listings on five third-party Christian/lifestyle marketplaces (vivat.de, christliche-geschenke.de, g-a-wagner.de, geschenke-leopold.eu, religioese-geschenke.de). Distribution is handled in-house via the wholly-owned AZB (Auslieferungszentrum Bercker) subsidiary and shipped via DHL and Deutsche Post. Pricing is publicly disclosed, with individual products priced roughly €5.95 to over €100, standard German VAT (19% on most items, 7% on books), and bulk-order minimums for selected SKUs such as bronze plaques.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed; based on the ~30–40 FTE headcount, market-leader positioning in the German-speaking religious art niche, and the captive foundry, the company is best characterized as a mid-sized specialty manufacturer-publisher. It serves primarily individual end consumers across the DACH region for personal and occasion-driven religious purchases, with a secondary B2B channel feeding physical retailers. The firm has no disclosed external investors, no public listing, and is led by Managing Director Markus Bercker with family member Timo Bercker heading digital and new-media operations.

Name

Butzon & Bercker

Legal name

Butzon & Bercker GmbH

Website

https://butzon-bercker.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Butzon & Bercker is a 5th-generation, family-owned German publisher and manufacturer of Christian books, devotional magazines, greeting cards, and handcrafted bronze religious art, serving consumers and retailers across the DACH region via its own e-commerce, B2B wholesale, and third-party marketplaces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Books and Religious Art

NAICS

Book Retailers and News Dealers (45921), Greeting Card Publishers (513191), Art Dealers (45992)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious & Spiritual Books Retail (CRALAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Religious & Cultural Fine Jewelry (CRAKAAAH)

Keywords

• Christian book publishing
• Religious art objects
• Bronze figurines manufacturing
• Christian greeting cards
• Religious giftware wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Kevelaer

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales (B2C): Direct online sales of books, art, crafts, and greeting cards to end customers through their own e-commerce platform. Products are sold individually at unit prices, with bulk discounts available for certain items.
2. B2B / Wholesale to Retailers: Wholesale supply of books and religious art products to retail shops and dealers, including point-of-sale displays and promotional materials at attractive B2B pricing.
3. Publishing Revenue (Books & Journals): Revenue from publishing religious books, greeting cards, calendars, and the MAGNIFICAT journal. Includes licensed content from authors and themed editions.
4. Custom/Individualized Products: Sales of personalized and customized gift items such as engraved bronze plaques, personalized cards, and bespoke religious art pieces.
5. Marketplace Sales via Third-Party Online Retailers: Products also distributed through online marketplaces such as vivat.de, christliche-geschenke.de, g-a-wagner.de, geschenke-leopold.eu, and religiose-geschenke.de.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Butzon & Bercker is a German family-owned publisher and manufacturer that produces and sells Christian books, greeting cards, calendars, the MAGNIFICAT devotional magazine, and handcrafted religious art objects (bronze figurines, crosses, glass items, jewelry). It operates its own bronze foundry in Kevelaer, runs a B2C e-commerce store, and supplies retailers wholesale with point-of-sale displays and B2B pricing.

Product overview

Butzon & Bercker is a family-owned German publisher and manufacturer of religious Christian products, operating in its 5th generation. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio centered around Christian faith-based products organized into five core categories: (1) Bücher - Christian books including gift books, children's books, spiritual titles, life-help books, song books, and regional literature published under the Butzon & Bercker and Lahn-Verlag imprints; (2) Kunsthandwerk/Geschenke - handcrafted religious art objects, figurines, crosses, candles, and gifts made from bronze, glass, metal, wood, porcelain, and slate, including their exclusive BERCKER art-line sub-brand featuring bronze/slate/glass art objects designed by artists; (3) Grußkarten - greeting cards and postcards for religious occasions; (4) Zeitschriften - religious magazines including the MAGNIFICAT publication; and (5) Kalender - Christian-themed calendars. Products are organized by thematic worlds (Themenwelten) such as Angels, Maria, Peace, and by gift occasions like Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Wedding, and Funeral. The company operates its own bronze foundry in Kevelaer, Germany, and is the market leader for religious art products in the German-speaking region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BERCKER art-line: Premium art collection featuring sculptures, figures and home accessories made from bronze, slate and glass, designed by artists and sculptors with high artistic standards.

Products and services

• Christian Books (Bücher) Christian religious books published by Butzon & Bercker and its Lahn-Verlag imprint, including gift books, children's books, spiritual titles, life-help books, song books (Liederbücher), regional literature (Regionalia Niederrhein), practice and professional books (Praxis- und Fachbuch), non-fiction (Sachbuch), Spirituality (Spiritualität), and the Edition Elisabeth Lukas. Published in German for the German-speaking religious market.
• Religious Artwork and Gifts (Kunsthandwerk / Geschenke) Handcrafted religious art objects, figurines, crosses, pendants, decorative candles, hand warmers, key chains, rosaries, reliefs, steles, church furnishings, glass moments, magnets, bracelets/necklaces, cups/mugs, prayer cubes, gift boxes, incense, and gift ideas produced in bronze, glass, metal, wood, porcelain, and slate. Sold via e-commerce and B2B wholesale to retail shops, bookstores, and gift stores.
• Christian Greeting Cards (Grußkarten) Double cards, postcards, gift boxes (Geschenkboxen), displays, and Karte Plus greeting cards for religious occasions including birthdays, weddings, condolences, and religious celebrations. Sold via direct e-commerce and B2B dealer channel with POS displays.
• BERCKER art-line Exclusive art collection of figurines, sculptures, and home accessories in bronze, slate, and glass designed by artists and sculptors, including collections such as Bronze, Eleganza, Galeria, Harmonie, Living, Spirit, and Tierwelt (Animal World). Premium sub-brand of Butzon & Bercker for religious and decorative art.
• MAGNIFICAT Devotional Magazine Christian devotional magazine (Zeitschrift MAGNIFICAT) published by Butzon & Bercker providing daily spiritual impulses and devotional content. Available by subscription via the company's reader service ([email protected]). Additional magazine title Eulenfisch is also published.
• Christian Calendars (Kalender) Christian-themed calendars for religious occasions and annual celebrations, sold via the company's e-commerce shop and through B2B dealer channels.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• DHLminorOthersLogistics and shipping partner for domestic and international parcel delivery.
• Deutsche PostminorOthersShipping partner for postal services and deliveries.
• CRIF GmbHminorOthersCredit reference agency used for identity and creditworthiness checks when customers purchase on invoice.
• vivat.deminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketplace and retailer selling Butzon & Bercker products including greeting cards, gift sets, magnets, and bronze items.
• christliche-geschenke.deminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline retailer specializing in Christian gifts, selling Butzon & Bercker products such as baptism gift sets.
• g-a-wagner.deminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline gift retailer selling Butzon & Bercker products including blessing bracelets and bronze angel pendants.
• geschenke-leopold.euminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline gift shop selling Butzon & Bercker blessing bracelets and gift sets.
• religioese-geschenke.deminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline retailer of religious gifts selling Butzon & Bercker products including angel glass magnets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Benno-Verlag: German Catholic publishing house in Leipzig/Dresden producing Christian books, devotional media, and religious gift items. Directly comparable to Butzon & Bercker's book and devotional product portfolio in the DACH Catholic market.
• Vier-Türme-Verlag: Benedictine publishing house publishing spiritual books, calendars, and religious gift items from Münsterschwarzach Abbey. Closely comparable niche-Catholic publisher with devotional books, themed calendars, and gift products in the German-speaking market.
• Echter Verlag: Catholic publishing house based in Würzburg producing religious books, theology, and devotional titles. Comparable DACH Catholic publisher with overlapping book, spirituality, and life-event content categories.
• Calwer Verlag: German Protestant publisher producing religious educational and devotional books. Comparable DACH Christian book publisher with overlapping theology, life-help, and devotional categories.
• Verlag Friedrich Pustet: Historic Catholic publisher (founded 1826) producing theological and liturgical books, the Catholic liturgy series, and church-related publications. Comparable in combining DACH Catholic publishing with religious content and liturgical materials.
• Kanisius-Verlag: Catholic publisher based in Württemberg producing religious books, devotionals, and parish resources. Comparable DACH Catholic book publisher serving parishes and devotional readers.
• Gütersloher Verlagshaus: German Protestant publisher (affiliated with Gütersloh Bertelsmann) producing theology, spirituality, and devotional titles. Comparable DACH Christian publisher with overlapping Protestant/Ecumenical religious book category.

Broad incumbents

• SCM Verlag: Largest German Protestant publisher (part of SCM Bundes-Verlag), offering Christian books, music, and gifts. Broad incumbent in the same DACH Christian publishing market with overlapping books and gift categories.
• Herder Verlag: One of Germany's largest and oldest Catholic publishers (founded 1801), offering a broad portfolio of theology, spirituality, children's books, and gift items. Operates in the same DACH Catholic publishing and religious gift market as Butzon & Bercker but at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Vivat: Online retailer of Christian greeting cards, gifts, and devotional products in the German-speaking market. Already a distribution partner for Butzon & Bercker; comparable as a DACH-focused Christian product e-tailer with overlapping product categories.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/butzonbercker
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/94730920
• Instagraminstagram.com/butzonbercker
• Xx.com/butzonbercker

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Butzon & Bercker