w3
w3 GmbH is a Weingarten-based full-service media agency offering bundled agency, web, IT, prepress, direct marketing, lettershop and advertising-technology services to regional SMEs, publishers and global corporations across the DACH region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersWeingarten, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What w3 does
w3 GmbH is a privately held, full-service media services provider headquartered in Weingarten, Baden-Württemberg, with a second operations site in Ravensburg dedicated to advertising technology. Founded in 2009 via the merger of three predecessor firms whose roots extend back to 1971, the company bundles agency services, web development, IT systems, prepress/color management, direct marketing, lettershop/fulfillment and large-format advertising technology under a single legal entity. Its customer base spans regional SMEs, publishers, and globally operating corporations (e.g., Diehl Defence, ZOLLERN, Kreissparkasse Ravensburg, Schwäbischer Verlag), with named clientele exceeding 100 organizations across publishing, manufacturing, banking, energy, healthcare, retail and education.
Operationally, w3 generates revenue through a mix of project-based agency and creative work, professional web/IT services, subscription/recurring Web-to-Print platform licensing (Openprintshop), transaction-based print production and lettershop services, and one-time large-format advertising technology deployments. Pricing is opaque and bespoke, structured around individual project scope rather than published tiers. The go-to-market is sales-led and direct, supported by a regional and DACH partner network (rgf), Fogra certification, and a managed services footprint. The leadership comprises authorized representatives Ralf Gebhard and Alexander Wahl, with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or funding rounds.
w3 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- w3
- Legal name
- w3 GmbH
- Website
- https://w3.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- w3 GmbH is a Weingarten-based full-service media agency offering bundled agency, web, IT, prepress, direct marketing, lettershop and advertising-technology services to regional SMEs, publishers and global corporations across the DACH region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
w3 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Full-Service Media Services (Web-to-Print & Advertising Technology)
- NAICS
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Direct Mail Advertising (54186), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Printing & Document Infrastructure (MFP fleets, Print Servers, Managed Print) (EDAEAHAL)
Keywords
Where w3 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Weingarten
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
w3 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Agency and Creative Services: Full-service media agency providing conception, design, web development, and creative services. Services include briefing & process analysis, planning & production, process control & quality assurance, corporate identity/design, professional communication concepts, illustrations, large-area designs, and printed materials.
- Web Development and IT Services: Website creation, IT infrastructure, software development, e-commerce solutions, SEO, content management systems (CONTAO, custom PHP), individual programming, and web services & integration. Includes consultation, accompaniment towards ISO 12647 certification, security concepts, and complete infrastructure implementation.
- Web-to-Print Solutions: CHILI publisher-based online editor integrated into Openprintshop eCommerce platform for template-based design and print production. Revenue from platform licensing, customization, and ongoing support.
- Print Production and Lettershop: High-end digital printing, mailing campaigns, fulfillment services, address personalization, postage optimization, automated cross-media campaigns, document management, and same-day printing/shipping services.
- Advertising Technology: Large-format digital printing, signage, vehicle wrapping, building signage, display systems, trade fair booth systems, and associated installation services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
w3 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
w3 is a full-service media service provider offering bundled agency, web/IT, prepress, direct marketing, print/lettershop, and advertising technology services. Its headline digital product is Openprintshop (OPS), a multistore Web-to-Print eCommerce platform built on AspDotNetStorefront and integrated with CHILI publisher for template-based personalization. Services are sold both as standalone work and as integrated packages to SMEs, publishers, and global corporations in the DACH region.
Product overview
w3 GmbH is a full-service media service provider offering a portfolio of integrated services spanning traditional agency work, web development, IT systems, prepress/print production, direct marketing, lettershop/fulfillment, and advertising technology. The core digital platform is Openprintshop (OPS), a multistore Web-to-Print eCommerce solution built on AspDotNetStorefront (ASP.NET MVC 5 C#) with CHILI publisher and CHILI GraFx integrated for template-based design and personalization. A second named digital platform is Zustellerkom, an automated job and information portal with an attached database and sabris API integration. All services are offered both independently and in combination as a bundled full-service package from a single provider.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Openprintshop (OPS) A fully integrated Web-to-Print eCommerce platform combining AspDotNetStorefront (ASP.NET MVC 5 C#) with CHILI publisher for browser-based template personalization. Available as single- or multi-store for B2B, B2C, or combined deployments, with integrated order management, production monitoring, online calculation, payment processing, approval workflows, order history, repeat ordering, Web-Service interfaces (XML, REST-API), and reporting.
- Zustellerkom (zustellerkom.de) Automated job and information portal with an integrated database for publishers and delivery companies to generate applicants for addressed and unaddressed distribution. Built on AspDotNetStorefront with CHILI Publisher and extended in 2020 with a REST web service that transfers applicant master data directly to the sabris publisher system. Hosted and supported by w3.
- w3 Agency Services Full-service advertising agency work covering briefing and process analysis, planning and production, process control and quality assurance, corporate identity and design, professional communication concepts, illustrations, large-format designs, printed materials, and vehicle lettering. Targeted at SMEs and global corporations needing bundled conception-through-production creative services.
- w3 Web Development End-to-end website creation services including requirements analysis, UX design, prototyping, accessibility design, web development, relaunch, optimization, custom programming, web services and integration, e-commerce solutions, SEO, content creation (text, photography, video), and ongoing content management and support.
- w3 IT Systems & Services IT services focused on the graphics industry, including network and communication planning, software tool selection and implementation, database connections, API integration, ERP integration, software development, process control, quality assurance, web hosting, and e-mail server management.
- w3 Media Prepress High-end prepress services including high-end scanning, image processing, file format and color space transformation, archiving, DTP and design services, digital proofing, and press checks. Delivered with Fogra membership and ongoing certification in color management and PSO standards.
- w3 Direct Marketing Cross-media campaign planning and execution including multi-step campaigns across print, web, and email. Services include intelligent document management, postage-optimized processing and logistics, cost-effective digital printing, INXmail email marketing, and operation of own email marketing servers.
- w3 Print / Lettershop Print production and fulfillment services including mailing campaigns, print data preparation, intelligent document merging, high-end digital printing, finishing, postage optimization, selective insert processing, enveloping, franking, sealing and sorting. Includes the w3-Post application for cost-effective invoice printing, encrypted delivery, and PDF archiving.
- w3 Advertising Technology Large-format digital printing and sign-making covering indoor and outdoor applications on materials including paper, fabric, backlight, PVC, and self-adhesive films. Services include building signage, vehicle lettering, car wrapping, building guidance systems, presentation and trade show systems, and full-service installation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 577,000 kWh electricity generated from photovoltaic installation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use w3
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
w3 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature5 records
w3 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CHILI publishcoreBelgian software company providing CHILI publisher and CHILI GraFx online editor. w3 has integrated CHILI publisher into their Openprintshop (OPS) Web-to-Print eCommerce solution since 2012. The CHILI editor enables customers to create customized print materials using web-based templates.
- AspDotNetStorefront (Microsoft)coreASP.NET MVC 5 C# based eCommerce platform serving as the foundation for w3's Openprintshop multi-store solution. Used in combination with CHILI publisher for complete Web-to-Print functionality including ordering, payment processing, and order history.
- Ring grafischer Fachhändler (rgf)corePartner network of graphic industry specialists covering Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. w3 benefits from the network to solve complex and detailed tasks in the graphic industry, sharing expertise and capabilities across borders.
- Fogra - Forschungsinstitut für MedientechnologiencoreGerman research institute for media technologies. w3 holds Fogra membership with ongoing training and certifications in color management and publishing. Enables w3 to maintain expertise in color management standards and PSO (ProcessStandard Offset) certification.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
w3 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CHILI publish: Belgian software vendor of the CHILI publisher and CHILI GraFx online editors that w3 integrates into its Openprintshop solution. Closest comparable in the Web-to-Print software layer and a direct technology partner, addressing the same publisher/printer customer base.
- flyeralarm: Würzburg-based one of Europe's largest online print and marketing services platforms, offering business stationery, flyers, and large-format print via web-to-print e-commerce. Directly comparable to w3's web-to-print and print services business model, though at substantially larger scale.
- Onlineprinters: Fürth-based online print shop serving business customers across Europe with stationery, flyers, and marketing materials via a web-to-print e-commerce model. Comparable to w3's Openprintshop platform and digital print production services.
- Moo: UK/US-headquartered online print and design company specializing in premium business cards, marketing materials, and branded merchandise via a design-led web-to-print platform. Comparable to w3's design-integrated Web-to-Print and direct marketing services.
- Unitedprint: European online print platform operating multiple brands across multiple countries, serving B2B customers with web-to-print and marketing material fulfillment. Comparable to w3's cross-border direct marketing and print fulfillment offering.
- Saxoprint: Dresden-headquartered online print shop serving business customers across Europe with offset and digital print products via a web-to-print e-commerce platform. Directly comparable to w3's web-to-print and print production capabilities.
Broad incumbents
- Pixartprinting: Italian/European online print shop serving business customers with a broad catalog of printed products via web-to-print e-commerce. Comparable to w3's online print and marketing materials services, though at considerably larger scale.
- Vistaprint (Cimpress): Global online print and marketing services platform operating the Vistaprint consumer/SMB brand under Cimpress. Comparable as a far larger incumbent in web-to-print and small-business marketing services, demonstrating the scale ceiling in the category w3 operates.
- CEWE: Oldenburg-based European market leader in photo printing and commercial print services. Operates an overlapping print and direct-marketing capability, though at much greater scale and with a more consumer-photo orientation than w3's mixed B2B agency and print business.
Others
- Lobster: German B2B software vendor specializing in data integration, EDI, and API-based process automation. Adjacent to w3's IT services and custom API integration work (e.g., the sabris and INXMAIL integrations), with a similar DACH mid-market customer profile.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
w3 social profiles
Digital presencew3 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
w3 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
w3 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
w3 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
w3 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 w3
What does w3 do?
w3 is a full-service media service provider offering bundled agency, web/IT, prepress, direct marketing, print/lettershop, and advertising technology services. Its headline digital product is Openprintshop (OPS), a multistore Web-to-Print eCommerce platform built on AspDotNetStorefront and integrated with CHILI publisher for template-based personalization. Services are sold both as standalone work and as integrated packages to SMEs, publishers, and global corporations in the DACH region.
Is w3 a public or private company?
w3 is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was w3 founded?
w3 was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is w3 based?
w3 is headquartered in Weingarten, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does w3 make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Agency and Creative Services are the primary driver. The others are web Development and IT Services, web-to-Print Solutions, print Production and Lettershop and advertising Technology.
Who are w3's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CHILI publish, flyeralarm, Onlineprinters, Moo, Unitedprint and Saxoprint. Broad incumbents are Pixartprinting, Vistaprint (Cimpress) and CEWE. Lobster is listed as an others.
Does w3 have an API?
Yes. Openprintshop (OPS) provides Web-Service interfaces via XML and REST-API for eCommerce and Web-to-Print integration. The portal also supports API integration with third-party systems: in 2020, a REST web service was implemented to transfer applicant master data from Zustellerkom.de directly into the publisher system sabris, with w3 responsible for API and database programming.
What industry is w3 in?
w3's product category is Full-Service Media Services (Web-to-Print & Advertising Technology). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAHAL, Printing & Document Infrastructure (MFP fleets, Print Servers, Managed Print). Its NAICS code is 5418 and its SIC code is 7311.