Schmedt
Schmedt GmbH & Co. KG is a Hamburg-based specialist founded in 1975 that supplies bookbinding machines, materials, tools, and restoration supplies via a multilingual e-commerce platform to professional binders, print shops, conservators, libraries, and DIY hobbyists across 100+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Schmedt does
Schmedt GmbH & Co. KG is a Hamburg-based, privately held specialist supplier serving the bookbinding craft, founded in 1975 and operating under the trading identity "Schmedt. Die Welt des Buchbindens" (Schmedt. The World of Bookbinding). The company combines three integrated offerings on a single commerce platform: (1) bookbinding machinery (categorized by function — gluing, book block production, cover making, pressing; by solution — Books-on-Demand, hardcover entry, photo books and XXL formats; and by performance class — Class 1 up to 100 units/hour through Class 3 at 200+ units/hour, plus refurbished machines); (2) an extensive consumables catalog spanning adhesives (including Planatol), papers, cardboards, bookbinding fabrics (Buckram, ORA), leather (including Oase goat leather and vegan options), binding mechanisms, clamp rails, book rings, staples, and embossing/finishing materials; and (3) tools, restoration supplies, and services covering consulting, machine maintenance and installation, sample shipping, custom cutting, training workshops, and a physical/virtual Demo Center.
Schmedt serves a hybrid customer base across four segments: professional bookbinders and commercial print shops (primary), DIY/hobby bookbinders (primary), and restoration/conservation professionals plus libraries, museums, and archives (secondary). The business model is sales-led with self-serve e-commerce as the primary transaction channel: customers browse the multilingual storefront (German, English, Spanish, French), order via cart or request individual quotes for machines and bulk quantities, and receive expert consultation via phone, contact form, or live/digital Demo Center sessions. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time product sales at unit prices ranging from under one euro (small parts) to five-figure quotes for industrial machinery, with tiered volume discounts on consumables and an FSC-certified (C103026), AEO-certified supply chain enabling shipments to over 100 countries via DHL, GLS, DHL Express, and DB Schenker. No proprietary software, AI/ML capability, or external funding is referenced in the source data; the company is structured as a traditional German GmbH & Co. KG with no disclosed institutional or PE ownership.
Schmedt firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Schmedt
- Legal name
- Schmedt GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://schmedt.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Schmedt GmbH & Co. KG is a Hamburg-based specialist founded in 1975 that supplies bookbinding machines, materials, tools, and restoration supplies via a multilingual e-commerce platform to professional binders, print shops, conservators, libraries, and DIY hobbyists across 100+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Schmedt industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bookbinding Equipment & Supplies
- NAICS
- Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (459130), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459), Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42384)
- SIC
- Blankbooks, Looseleaf Binders & Bookbindg & Relatd Work (2780), Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110), Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts Retail (CRALACAD)
Keywords
Where Schmedt is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Schmedt business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- E-commerce sales of bookbinding supplies: B2B and B2C online retail of bookbinding materials, tools, machines, and equipment. Products include adhesives, papers, cardboards, bindings, mechanisms, leathers, tools, and specialized machines. Revenue generated through product sales with pricing ranging from a few euros to higher amounts for machines.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual unit pricing for small items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk/volume pricing for larger quantities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Schmedt product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Schmedt manufactures and distributes bookbinding machines, materials, and tools for industrial book production, restoration, and DIY/hobby bookbinding. Its catalog spans professional-grade equipment (casing-in, pressing, embossing, cover-making), consumables (adhesives, papers, cardboards, bookbinding fabrics, leather, binding mechanisms, staples, clamp rails), manual tools, and supporting services including consulting, machine maintenance, training, and a physical Demo Center in Hamburg.
Product overview
Schmedt is a German specialist e-commerce company serving the bookbinding, book restoration, and creative/DIY bookbinding markets. The company operates a multi-brand catalog structured around four core pillars: (1) Machines — a full range of bookbinding production equipment categorized by function (gluing, book block production, cover making, pressing), solution type (Books-on-Demand, hardcover entry, photo books/XXL), and performance class (Class 1-3); (2) Materials — an extensive assortment of consumables including bookbinding fabrics (Buchbinderleinen/Buckram), adhesives (Klebstoffe), papers, cardboards, leather, binding mechanisms (Mechaniken), clamp rails (Klemmschienen), book rings (Heftringe), staples (Heftklammern), embossing/finishing materials, and technical fabrics; (3) Tools & Equipment — manual tools (awls, folders, knives, scissors, brushes), presses, cutting machines, and specialized restoration equipment; and (4) Services — consulting, machine maintenance and installation, sample shipping, custom cutting, training workshops, and a Demo Center. The company also distributes branded product lines including Planatol adhesives, AscoColor marbling colors, English Arbelave Buckram, Filmolux/Filmoplast films, Maroquin leather care, iBookBinding 3D-printed tools, and ORA/ORA eco book cloths, alongside its own private-label offerings. The portfolio is presented through a German-language e-commerce platform with multilingual support (English, Spanish, French) and serves customers internationally across more than 100 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bookbinding Machines (Maschinen)
Companies that use Schmedt
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Schmedt technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Schmedt partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Schmedt competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Carr McLean: Canadian supplier of bookbinding, archival, and library supplies serving institutional and craft customers. Comparable catalog breadth and book-conservation focus.
- Talas: Long-established US-based online retailer of bookbinding, archival, and conservation supplies with a comparable catalog breadth and B2B/B2C customer mix. Direct competition for international hobbyist and small-print-shop customers.
- Kolbus GmbH: German bookbinding machinery manufacturer based in Rahden with overlapping product categories (casing-in, book block production, cover making). Direct competitor on the machines side, particularly in DACH.
- Conservation Resources International: UK-based specialist in archival, book conservation, and preservation materials. Direct overlap with Schmedt's restoration and conservation category.
Broad incumbents
- Müller Martini: Swiss-headquartered global leader in industrial bookbinding and print finishing machinery. Overlaps with Schmedt's machine offering but serves much larger industrial customers.
- Horizon (Standard Finishing Systems): Japanese-headquartered manufacturer of bookbinding, perfect binding, and print finishing equipment with global distribution. Overlaps with Schmedt's professional-grade machine category at higher throughput tiers.
- CP Bourg: Belgium-based manufacturer of bookbinding and print finishing equipment with strong presence in on-demand and short-run book production—directly adjacent to Schmedt's Books-on-Demand solution set.
Regional players
- Brodart Supplies & Furnishings: US-based supplier of library, bookbinding, and archival supplies to North American institutions. Comparable catalog positioning but primarily serves the US market.
Emerging players
- Grafisk Maskinfabrik (GM): Danish manufacturer of bookbinding and print finishing machinery. Niche European competitor in small- to mid-volume book production equipment.
- Bookbinding & Conservation Catalog: Specialty US retailer focused on bookbinding and conservation materials. Smaller scale than Schmedt but with overlapping hobbyist/conservator customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Schmedt social profiles
Digital presenceSchmedt compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Schmedt financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Schmedt leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Schmedt funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Schmedt M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Schmedt
What does Schmedt do?
Schmedt manufactures and distributes bookbinding machines, materials, and tools for industrial book production, restoration, and DIY/hobby bookbinding. Its catalog spans professional-grade equipment (casing-in, pressing, embossing, cover-making), consumables (adhesives, papers, cardboards, bookbinding fabrics, leather, binding mechanisms, staples, clamp rails), manual tools, and supporting services including consulting, machine maintenance, training, and a physical Demo Center in Hamburg.
Is Schmedt a public or private company?
Schmedt is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Schmedt founded?
Schmedt was founded in 1975. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Schmedt based?
Schmedt is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Schmedt make money?
One revenue line is on record: E-commerce sales of bookbinding supplies.
Who are Schmedt's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Carr McLean, Talas, Kolbus GmbH and Conservation Resources International. Broad incumbents are Müller Martini, Horizon (Standard Finishing Systems) and CP Bourg. Brodart Supplies & Furnishings is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Grafisk Maskinfabrik (GM) and Bookbinding & Conservation Catalog.
Does Schmedt have an API?
No public API is recorded for Schmedt.
What industry is Schmedt in?
Schmedt's product category is Bookbinding Equipment & Supplies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALACAD, Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts Retail. Its NAICS code is 459130 and its SIC code is 2780.