Hans Reitzels Forlag

What Hans Reitzels Forlag does

Hans Reitzels Forlag is a Danish academic publisher, founded in 1949 and headquartered at Klareboderne 3, 1115 København K, operating as a brand within Gyldendal A/S, Denmark's oldest and largest publishing house. The company specializes in textbooks (pensumlitteratur) for higher education, covering economics, psychology, pedagogy, political science, sociology, law, social work, communication, philosophy, rhetoric, humanities, and research methodology, serving students and educators at Danish universities, professionshøjskoler, erhvervsakademier, and diplomuddannelser. The company employs between 251 and 500 staff and serves only the domestic Danish market, with no international shipping available from its webshop.

The publisher distributes content through multiple formats: physical printed textbooks sold directly via hansreitzel.dk and shipped domestically via PostNord; i-bøger (interactive digital books) with bookmarks, notes, highlights, text-to-speech, dark mode, adjustable font size, and PDF-exportable notes, activated through non-transferable e-nøgler tied to user profiles; e-books distributed via the VitalSource platform through authorized resellers (Academic Books, Polyteknisk Boghandel, Stakbogladen) and through third-party internet bookstores such as Saxo.com; and streaming access via the Studybox institutional platform covering multiple Danish higher education programs. Supplementary teaching materials (exercise solutions, figures) are provided through a dedicated teacher portal (undervisersite), and the BogPlus program offers a 20% discount plus free shipping for members of participating professional associations.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit pricing on physical books and i-bøger (e.g., 460-575 DKK per title), recurring institutional subscriptions for digital materials (annual billing, minimum 6-month binding), streaming subscriptions via Studybox, and indirect sales through third-party bookstores. The go-to-motion combines direct e-commerce for individual students and educators, sales coordinator and market consultant outreach to institutions for curriculum (pensum) adoption, free pensumeksemplar review copies to drive textbook adoptions, and engagement at public events such as Folkemødet for author acquisition and brand presence. Leadership comprises Henrik Gejlager (Direktør), Henriette Thiesen (Forlagschef), Christina Ingemann (Salgschef), and Linda Frøkjær (Marketingchef). The company holds WCAG 2.1 AA compliance on its webshop and an ISAE 3000 data-protection attestation from PwC.

Name

Hans Reitzels Forlag

Legal name

Hans Reitzels Forlag

Website

https://hansreitzel.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Hans Reitzels Forlag is a Danish academic publisher under Gyldendal A/S, producing textbooks and digital learning materials in physical, i-bog, e-book, and streaming formats for Danish university, professional college, and business academy students across social sciences, humanities, and professional disciplines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Higher Education Textbook Publishing (MPAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Political Science) (EDAGABAD), Humanities (History, Philosophy, Literature, Languages) (EDAGABAE), Interdisciplinary/General Education & Study Skills (EDAGABAN)

Keywords

• Academic textbook publishing
• Higher education materials
• Digital learning platforms
• Interactive digital textbooks
• Danish educational publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical Book Sales: Sale of printed textbooks and study books directly through the hansreitzel.dk e-commerce platform. Customers can purchase using Dankort, VISA/Dankort, VISA, Diners, or Mastercard. Physical delivery via PostNord with 3-4 business day delivery time. An order handling fee of 45 kr applies.
2. i-bog (Interactive Digital Book) Sales: Interactive digital books with access period-based or subscription-based licensing. Users must create a profile and activate an e-nøgle (electronic key) to access i-bøger. Available for purchase on hansreitzel.dk with annual or periodic subscription options.
3. E-book Sales via VitalSource and Third-Party Bookstores: E-books are sold through the VitalSource platform via authorized resellers including Academic Books, Polyteknisk Boghandel, and Stakbogladen. E-bøger can also be purchased from Saxo.com and other internet bookstores.
4. BogPlus Membership Discount Program: Association members receive 20% discount on single copies of books published by Hans Reitzels Forlag plus free shipping on orders. Members input their association membership code at checkout for automatic discount application.
5. Supplementary Digital Materials for Educators: Supplementary teaching materials including problem solutions, figures, and other resources for educators at higher education institutions. Access provided through a dedicated teacher portal (undervisersite) requiring a teacher profile on hansreitzel.dk.
6. Studybox Institutional Streaming Subscription: Streaming service for study books covering multiple educational programs. Available institutionally through studybox.dk for programs including teacher, educator, social worker, finance economist, finance bachelor, marketing economist, commercial economist, and service/economics.
7. Pensumeksemplar (Complimentary Review Copies for Educators): Free pensumeksemplar (curriculum review copies) offered to approved educators at higher education institutions. Up to 5 physical copies per year, limited to books under two years old. Digital i-bog versions available regardless of publication date. This is a demand-generation mechanism rather than a direct revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hans Reitzels Forlag is a Danish academic publisher that develops, produces, and sells textbooks and supplementary educational materials for higher education. Its portfolio spans physical textbooks, interactive digital books (i-bog) with embedded multimedia, and e-books distributed via its own webshop, the institutional Studybox streaming platform, and the VitalSource aggregator. The publisher serves students and educators at Danish universities, university colleges (professionshøjskoler), and business academies (erhvervsakademier).

Product overview

Hans Reitzels Forlag is an educational publisher specializing in academic and professional textbooks (pensumlitteratur) for Danish higher education institutions, covering disciplines including economics, psychology, pedagogy, political science, sociology, law, social work, communication, philosophy, rhetoric, and humanities. The company operates a webshop (hansreitzel.dk) as its primary sales channel and offers its titles in multiple formats: physical printed textbooks sold directly, e-books distributed through VitalSource and third-party bookstores, i-bøger (interactive digital books) with built-in study features sold directly through the webshop, and streaming via the Studybox platform. Beyond core textbooks, the company provides supplementary teaching materials (exercise solutions, figures) through a dedicated teacher site, and operates the BogPlus discount program for association members. The company is part of the Gyldendal group (Gyldendal A/S), Denmark's oldest and largest publishing house.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical Textbooks Printed academic textbooks covering disciplines across Danish universities, professionshøjskoler, and erhververvsakademier; sold per title or as study packages to students and institutions.
• i-bog (Interactive Digital Book) Subscription-based digital textbooks with embedded multimedia (audio, video, interactive elements) and WCAG accessibility compliance; activated via e-key and accessed through the publisher's digital reader.
• E-books (via VitalSource Bookshelf) E-book editions of selected academic titles distributed through the VitalSource Bookshelf aggregator to institutional and individual users.
• Studybox Institutional Streaming Institutional digital streaming service (multi-publisher) that gives higher-education institutions campus-wide access to digital textbooks, including Hans Reitzels titles.
• BogPlus Membership Paid membership program offering discounts and benefits on book purchases through the hansreitzel.dk webshop.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, flagship and minor.

• VitalSource (Ingram Content Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationHans Reitzels Forlag distributes its e-books through the VitalSource platform, enabling access via the Bookshelf app and e-book readers. VitalSource is operated by Ingram Content Group. E-books are sold through authorized VitalSource resellers including Academic Books, Polyteknisk Boghandel, and Stakbogladen. The partnership provides students with offline access, search, flashcards, highlights, and text-to-speech features.
• StudyboxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStudybox is a streaming service for study books available at studybox.dk. Hans Reitzels Forlag provides content for this streaming platform, covering programs including teacher, educator, social worker, finance economist, marketing economist, commercial economist, and service economics. This provides an alternative digital access model for Danish higher education students.
• PwCsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPwC has conducted an independent ISAE 3000 assurance engagement on Hans Reitzels Forlag's (Gyldendal A/S) data protection and personal data processing controls. This assurance verifies the accuracy of the company's description of data protection measures for its digital educational materials used across Danish educational institutions.
• Tekst & NodesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTekst & Node (the Danish copyright organization for educational institutions) licensing agreements govern the copying permissions for educational use of Hans Reitzels Forlag's digital materials. Customers' copying and printing from digital products must comply with the agreement between the customer and Tekst & Node.
• Gyldendal A/S (Parent Company)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHans Reitzels Forlag is a brand under Gyldendal A/S, Denmark's oldest and largest publishing house. The company operates as part of Gyldendal Uddannelse alongside sister publishers Munksgaard and other brands including Systime, Alvilda, highlight, Konfront, MentorDanmark, Studybox, Skoledu, and Strandberg Publishing. Profiles on hansreitzel.dk provide access to all three publishers under Gyldendal Uddannelse. The royalty portal is shared across Gyldendal brands (royaltyportal.gyldendal.dk).
• EU / Danish Government (Regulatory)supportingOthersHans Reitzels Forlag's webshop complies with the EU's European Accessibility Act (European Accessibility Act), the Danish implementation of which (Tilgængelighedsloven) took effect on June 28, 2025. The company follows WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility guidelines for its webshop.
• Astrid Haug (Social Media Consultant)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAstrid Haug, an expert in social media and digital transformation, provides guidance and advice for authors on using social media effectively. This partnership supports the company's author development and marketing enablement programs.
• StudyboxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming service providing access to Hans Reitzels Forlag study books for programs including lærer (teacher), pædagog (educator), socialrådgiver (social worker), finansøkonom (finance economist), finansbachelor (finance bachelor), markedsføringsøkonom (marketing economist), handelsøkonom (commercial economist), and service- og oplevelsesøkonom (service and experience economist).

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nyt fra Samfundsvidenskaberne: Danish social sciences academic publisher and part of the same competitive landscape for university textbook adoptions. Comparable on social science catalog depth and Danish-language academic focus.
• Samfundslitteratur: Independent Danish academic publisher focused on social sciences, humanities, and business textbooks for higher education. Direct competitor on curriculum adoptions in Danish universities and business schools.
• Akademisk Forlag: Danish publisher of academic and professional higher education titles, owned by Lindhardt og Ringhof. Directly competes for curriculum adoptions in social sciences, humanities, and methodology.
• Strandberg Publishing: Sister Gyldendal Group brand publishing educational and professional books in Denmark. Comparable as a Gyldendal-owned publisher serving adjacent higher education and professional markets.
• Systime: Danish educational publisher under the Gyldendal group producing textbooks and digital learning materials for higher education. Directly comparable on subject overlap (economics, social sciences, methodology) and digital product strategy.
• Gyldendal Uddannelse: Parent division of Hans Reitzels Forlag within Gyldendal A/S, aggregating higher education imprints. Comparable as the umbrella through which Hans Reitzels' institutional sales, profiles, and royalty portal operate.
• Munksgaard: Sister publisher under Gyldendal Uddannelse; publishes academic and professional higher education materials in Denmark across law, social sciences, and health. Directly comparable as a Gyldendal-owned HE textbook competitor and collaborator.

Broad incumbents

• SAGE Publications: Global academic publisher with a strong social sciences and methodology catalog used in higher education. Comparable on subject mix (qualitative methods, social sciences) and institutional sales model to academic libraries and universities.
• Wiley: Global academic and higher education textbook publisher operating across social sciences, business, and humanities. Comparable on textbook + digital reference workflow for university curricula, though at vastly larger scale and broader geography.
• Pearson: Global higher education publisher with a broad catalog across social sciences, business, and methodology. Comparable on textbook format (print + e-book + digital platforms) and curriculum-aligned publishing model, but operates at much greater scale and broader geography.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HansReitzelsForlag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hans-reitzels-forlag

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Hans Reitzels Forlag