MAY+SPIES

What MAY+SPIES does

MAY+SPIES GmbH is a German specialty paper manufacturer and distributor founded in 1920 in Düren, the historical "paper town" of Germany. The company produces and sells fine papers, envelopes, labels, mourning stationery, digital printing materials, and specialty paper products (including hospital wristbands, fragrance strips, fabric adhesive dots, and bespoke watermarked papers) to B2B customers—businesses, institutions, authorities, and companies—through its own e-commerce platform, mayspies.com. It also operates a separate consumer/SMB office supplies storefront, mayspiesstore.com, listing 17,000 workplace products. The portfolio combines proprietary MAYSPIES® sub-brands (Astralux, Attraction, Edelpost, Powertac, Nawipa, Hatari) with exclusive distribution of premium third-party brands (Conqueror®, Colorplan®, Lunar®, ECO® Black) and an in-house customization capability for bespoke productions.

The business model is predominantly transactional B2B e-commerce with quote-based pricing for custom and large-format orders, supplemented by a dedicated sales team for enterprise accounts. The company is privately held under Managing Director Dr. Heinrich Spies, with no external venture or private equity capital disclosed, and operates as part of "The Paper Family" strategic alliance alongside Reflex and Römerturm—three established German paper companies pooling production, processing, and marketing capabilities. Manufacturing is in-house in Germany and FSC®-certified (FSC C014184) since June 2008, supporting sustainability-mandated procurement. Geographic focus is the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France) with a multi-language storefront (German, English, French). The company employs 101-250 people and offers free shipping within Germany for orders over €300 net, with freight surcharges and tiered handling fees on smaller orders.

Name

MAY+SPIES

Legal name

MAY+SPIES GMBH

Website

https://mayspies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MAY+SPIES is a German specialty paper manufacturer and B2B e-commerce distributor founded in 1920, selling fine papers, envelopes, labels, mourning stationery, and bespoke paper products to businesses, institutions, and authorities across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Paper Manufacturing

NAICS

Printing and Related Support Activities (323), Stationery Product Manufacturing (32223)

SIC

Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Paper Manufacturing (Coated, Release, Thermal, Filter, Security) (IMAMAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Printing & Business Forms (continuous forms, checks, tickets) (IMAMAHAH), Custom Printing & Decoration Services (Screen Print, Embroidery, Laser) (BPAFAMAL)

Keywords

• Premium paper products
• Business stationery
• Specialty labels
• Custom envelopes
• Fine paper manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Düren

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Paper Products Sales: Direct sales of finest papers, envelopes, labels, mourning papers, and specialty products through B2B e-commerce platform. Products are made in Germany with in-house production capabilities. Pricing is quote-based for many products with some standard prices listed.
2. Custom/Bespoke Solutions: Revenue from customized productions including custom labels, custom envelopes, individual watermarks, customized artist papers, customized fragrance strips, and hospital labels. This represents specialized, higher-margin production services.
3. Office Supplies E-commerce: Consumer/smb sales through separate store (mayspiesstore.com) offering 17,000 workplace products for order online 24/7.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MAY+SPIES manufactures and sells premium fine papers, envelopes, labels (including strong-adhesive Powertac and sustainable variants), mourning papers, hospital wristbands, fragrance strips, and digital printing materials through a B2B e-commerce platform targeting businesses, institutions and authorities. The company also operates a separate consumer-facing office-supplies shop (mayspiesstore.com) and offers bespoke custom productions such as individual watermarks, custom envelopes, and a Kyocera-based mourning printing system for funeral directors.

Product overview

MAY+SPIES is a German paper products company (passion for paper since 1920) operating as a B2B e-commerce platform. The product portfolio consists of multiple distinct product lines: (1) Finest papers - premium stationery papers including MAYSPIES® branded papers (Astralux, Attraction, Edelpost) and distributed brands (Colorplan®, Lunar®, Conqueror®, ECO® Black); (2) Envelopes - various envelope types matching paper lines; (3) Labels - comprehensive label portfolio including adhesive paper, Color Laser labels (Premium Color Laser Top/Gloss/PET), Offset labels, shipping labels, round labels, and specialty labels like Powertac (strong adhesive) and Powertac Recycling (sustainable); (4) Mourning papers - specialized funeral stationery with matching envelopes; (5) Digital printing materials; (6) Specialities - niche products including hospital wristbands, fragrance strips, fabric adhesive dots, and hospital wristband printers; (7) Customized productions - bespoke solutions including custom labels, custom envelopes, individual watermarks, and customized artist papers. The company also participates in The Paper Family alliance with Reflex and Römerturm. The platform is a single e-commerce storefront with no modular architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MAYSPIES® Astralux: Premium paper brand in the finest papers collection
• MAYSPIES® Attraction
• MAYSPIES® Edelpost
• MAYSPIES® Nawipa
• MAYSPIES® Powertac
• MAYSPIES® Hatari
• MAYSPIES® CopyLaser Plano
• MAYSPIES® CopyLaser
• MAYSPIES® Premium Color Laser Top
• MAYSPIES® Premium Color Laser Gloss
• MAYSPIES® Premium Color Laser PET
• MAYSPIES® digital
• MAYSPIES® Fabric adhesive dots
• ECO® Black
• The Paper Family

Products and services

• Finest papers Premium fine paper collection including MAYSPIES®-branded papers (Edelpost, Astralux, Attraction, Nawipa) and distributed brands (Colorplan®, Lunar®, Conqueror®, ECO® Black, Zeta®), offered in card, A4, digital and large formats across matt, smooth, transparent, glossy, textured, metallic and pearlescent surfaces for businesses, institutions and authorities requiring high-quality printing substrates.
• Envelopes Premium envelopes in DL, C6, C5, B6, C4, ladies' format, square and business card sizes, available with or without windows, inside printing, tissue lining, peel-and-seal, moistenable glue, pointed or straight flap sealing, in matt, smooth, transparent, textured, metallic and various color finishes. Brands include Conqueror®, Colorplan, MAYSPIES® Edelpost, MAYSPIES® Hatari, JUPP®, Marmor, and Heinrich Spies luxury papers.
• Labels Comprehensive label range including laser/photocopy/inkjet labels, color laser labels (Premium Color Laser Top, Gloss and PET), offset labels, adhesive paper (incl. MAYSPIES® CopyLaser Plano), shipping labels, round labels, digital printing labels, continuous labels, textile labels and the strongly adhesive MAYSPIES® Powertac family (Vellum, MC White, High Gloss White, Recycling) suited to rough, uneven and dusty surfaces.
• Mourning printing system for undertakers Kyocera-based in-house printing system targeted at funeral directors and morticians, enabling them to print MAYSPIES mourning stationery (including mourning papers) independently while maintaining consistent quality.
• Hospital wristbands and printers Patient identification wristbands in variants for adults and children, with adhesive or clip fastening, antimicrobial and safety clip options, paired with dedicated direct thermal and thermal transfer printers for healthcare facilities.
• Fragrance strips Custom-manufactured perfume test strips made from odourless and sustainable cardboard, available with printing, embossing or special formats per customer specification for fragrance and cosmetics marketing applications.
• Fabric adhesive dots Adhesive dots designed for textile labeling applications, sold under the MAYSPIES® brand.
• Office supplies shop (mayspiesstore.com) Separate online storefront (mayspiesstore.com) offering 17,000 workplace and office supply products orderable online 24/7 for consumers and small businesses.
• The Paper Family alliance Strategic alliance with Reflex and Römerturm providing customers with combined paper production, processing and marketing expertise and customized paper solutions of the highest quality.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Paper Family (Reflex, MAY+SPIES, Römerturm)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Paper Family is a strategic alliance combining the strengths of Reflex, MAY+SPIES, and Römerturm - three established paper companies with decades of experience and innovation spirit. Together they offer combined expertise in paper production, processing, and marketing, providing customised paper solutions of the highest quality. The alliance emphasizes being 'more flexible together, faster together, stronger together.'
• Shipping PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFast and secure delivery provided in cooperation with shipping partners.
• Euler Hermes Collections GmbHminorOthersAuthorized debt collection agency (Zeppelinstr. 48, 14471 Potsdam, Germany) engaged for unpaid invoices after prior reminder.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Lyreco: European distributor of workplace and office supplies including paper products. Comparable in serving B2B customers with bundled office and printing supplies, though broader in scope than MAY+SPIES' specialty focus.

Broad incumbents

• Neenah Coldenhove: Specialty paper manufacturer focused on premium fine papers, packaging substrates, and technical papers. Comparable in serving design and print professionals with high-end paper products.
• Antalis: Major European paper and packaging distributor carrying many of the same premium paper brands as MAY+SPIES. Overlaps in distribution of fine papers, envelopes, and visual communication substrates to B2B customers.
• Fedrigoni: Large Italian specialty paper producer with extensive fine paper, label, and security print portfolios. A broader incumbent competing with MAY+SPIES in premium fine papers across European markets.
• Papyrus (Sylvamo): European paper merchant distributing office, fine, and specialty papers to businesses. Comparable B2B distribution model and product overlap in commercial and printing papers across Europe.
• Mohawk Fine Papers: North American specialty fine paper manufacturer offering premium envelopes, text and cover papers. Comparable positioning in branded specialty papers for design, print, and corporate communications.

Regional players

• Durable Hunke & Jochheim: German office supplies and labeling solutions manufacturer. Overlaps with MAY+SPIES in labels and office/specialty supplies for B2B customers, primarily within the German market.

Direct peers

• Römerturm: German fine paper manufacturer and direct co-member of 'The Paper Family' alliance alongside MAY+SPIES. Comparable product portfolio in premium stationery papers and a shared B2B go-to-market, making it the closest strategic peer.
• Reflex Premium Paper: German specialty paper company and the third member of 'The Paper Family' with MAY+SPIES. Comparable in fine papers, envelopes, and creative paper solutions for B2B customers across Europe.
• Arjowiggins (Conqueror brand owner): Owner of the Conqueror® premium paper brand which MAY+SPIES distributes. Directly comparable in fine business papers, envelopes, and creative print substrates serving the same B2B and creative agency segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mayspies
• Instagraminstagram.com/mayspies
• Xx.com/mayspies_com
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/may-spies-gmbh-papierverarbeitung

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 MAY+SPIES