What PASSIVE does

PASSAVIA Druckservice GmbH & Co. KG is a B2B large-format offset printing company headquartered in Passau, Germany, tracing its origins to 1888. The company serves publishers, advertising agencies, educational publishers, and industrial customers, with a particular specialization in high-pigmented image reproduction and oversized formats. Its brand is anchored by a portfolio of internationally recognized photographer clients (including Annie Leibovitz, Anton Corbijn, Stefanie Moshammer, Peter Lindbergh, and Jim Rakete), positioning it as a high-end art-book and coffee-table printer rather than a commodity print supplier.

The technical core consists of two Heidelberg Speedmaster presses — the XL 105-8P and the XL 162-5L — with the latter being among the largest format offset presses commercially available. Production capabilities include proprietary PAN4C (high-pigment-density 4-color) and NovaTon/DuaTon (high-pigmented spot and double-tone) processes. Quality and sustainability credentials are formalized through PSO (Process Standard Offset) certification valid through 2027 and an EcoVadis Silver Medal (71/100, top 15% of assessed companies). The company is a member of eds.group (Euro Druckservice), a European printing network that extends its geographic and commercial reach.

The business operates as a privately held GmbH & Co. KG under a services-revenue model: clients contract for print production, with value captured through per-job pricing on specialized large-format and high-pigmented work rather than commodity volume. Revenue mechanics, headcount, and customer-level economics are not publicly disclosed. In 2025 the company experienced a leadership transition, with Magdalena Beranová and Stephanie Roth assuming senior roles. The company is single-site (Passau) with no disclosed M&A, funding, or geographic expansion activity.

Name

PASSIVE

Legal name

PASSAVIA Druckservice GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://passavia.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PASSAVIA Druckservice GmbH & Co. KG is a German B2B large-format offset printer founded in 1888, serving publishers, agencies, and industrial clients with Heidelberg Speedmaster presses and proprietary high-pigmented processes under the eds.group network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Passau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Offset Printing Services: Commercial offset printing services for books, magazines, catalogs, brochures, packaging, and commercial printing products. B2B relationship with publishers, agencies, and industrial customers.
2. Prepress and Design Services: Layout, typesetting, image processing, color correction, and prepress services bundled with printing or sold separately
3. Print Finishing Services: Value-added finishing including varnishing, foiling, cellophaning, embossing, and specialty coatings
4. Flipbook Digital Products: Conversion of print data into interactive HTML5 flipbooks/e-books for digital distribution
5. Storage and Logistics Services: Warehousing, konfektionierung, personalization, and fulfillment services for printed materials

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PASSAVIA is a large-format commercial offset printing company producing premium picture books, photographers' books, magazines, packaging, posters, wall calendars, brochures, and catalogues. Services span the full print production chain from consultation, prepress, typesetting, layout, and image editing through offset printing on Heidelberg Speedmaster presses (with proprietary PAN4C® and NovaTon/DuaTon processes), print finishing (varnishing, foiling, lamination, embossing), further processing (cutting, folding, stitching), and storage/logistics. Deliveries are primarily to B2B customers including international publishing houses, German textbook publishers, agencies, and industrial customers.

Product overview

PASSAVIA is a large-format printing company based in Passau, Germany, established in 1888. The company operates as a full-service print production provider offering integrated services from consultation and prepress through offset printing, print finishing, further processing, and logistics. Core printing services are delivered through two Heidelberg Speedmaster machines (Format 7b: XL 162-5L and Format 3b: XL 105-8P), with specializations in photographer books using PAN4C/NovaTon/DuaTon procedures. The product portfolio includes printed materials (posters, wall calendars), digital products (Flipbook e-books), and comprehensive finishing services (varnishing, lamination, embossing, foil stamping). Services are complemented by in-house further processing capabilities (cutting, folding, stitching) and storage/logistics solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Offset Printing (Offsetdruck) Large-format offset printing services using Heidelberg Speedmaster presses in Format 3b (XL 105-8P, 8-color with perfecting) and Format 7b (XL 162-5L, 5-color with inline coating/lack), specializing in photographers' books via NovaTon, DuaTon, and PAN4C® high-pigmented color procedures for brilliant, high-contrast, photorealistic images. Targeted at international publishers, photographers, agencies, and industrial customers.
• Print Finishing (Druckveredelung) Value-added print finishing services including anti-slip, dispersion, drip-off, scent, iriodin, oil, pearl effect, relief, soft-touch, and UV varnishes; hot foil and cold foil transfer and PET silver foil stamping; gloss, matte, scratch-resistant, soft-touch, and structured lamination; blind embossing, laser cutting, perforation, and die-cutting. Targeted at publishers, agencies, and brand/industrial customers.
• Further Processing (Weiterverarbeitung) Further processing and binding services including cutting, folding (up to 112 cm feed width), stitching, drilling, perforating, embossing, scoring, and die-cutting, using a Hohner HSB 10,000-S collating stitcher with 6 loading stations and cover feeder. Targeted at publishers and commercial print customers.
• Storage and Logistics (Lagerung und Logistik) Warehousing, confectioning (Konfektionierung), personalization, timed shipping, express delivery, and print-ahead ship-on-demand fulfillment through cooperation with logistics partners. Targeted at publishers and industrial customers with ongoing distribution needs.
• Flipbook Digital Publishing Conversion of print data into interactive HTML5 e-books with realistic page-flipping effects, integrated interactive videos, and outgoing links. Embeddable into existing online presences. Targeted at publishers and brand customers seeking digital companions to print editions.
• Wall Calendars (Wandkalender) DIN-A0 wall calendars printed via offset with optional finishing such as various varnishes. Targeted at publishers, agencies, and brand customers.
• Posters (Plakate) DIN-A0 posters (841 x 1189 mm) printed via offset with light-resistant colors in 4-color or special colors on affichenpapier or FSC-certified paper, available in runs starting at 100 copies. Targeted at agencies, brand customers, and publishers.
• Image Editing (Bildbearbeitung) Professional image editing and optimization services including color and exposure correction, retouching, background removal, compositing, vectorization, and image data preparation. Targeted at publishers, photographers, and agencies supplying print-ready assets.
• Typesetting, Layout and Design (Satz, Layout und Gestaltung) Comprehensive layout, typesetting, and design services including professional typesetting, layout development, color consulting, image processing and retouching, proofreading, print preparation, and creation of printed samples (blueprints). Targeted at publishers, photographers, agencies, and brand customers.
• Consultation Pre-project consultation services guiding customers on paper choice, color management, finishing options, format selection, and production planning for offset print projects. Targeted at publishers, agencies, and industrial customers.
• Packaging Print Production Offset-based contract printing for packaging, including brochures, catalogues, and packaging substrates, produced in conjunction with printing, finishing, and further processing services. Targeted at industrial customers and brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• EcoVadis Silver Medal - 85th percentile globally with 71/100 points

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• eds.group (Euro Druckservice)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPASSAVIA is a member of the Euro Druckservice (eds.group), a European printing services network. This membership provides access to international printing capacity and enables cross-border print production for customers.
• Facebook/Meta PlatformsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platform for customer engagement and company presence.
• LinkedIn IrelandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional networking platform for business-to-business marketing and employer branding.
• XING AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman professional networking platform for business networking and recruitment.
• Instagram/Meta PlatformsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVisual social media platform for company presence and visual content marketing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Optimal Media: German book and catalog printer specializing in high-quality print production for publishers. Directly comparable to PASSAVIA in serving the European publishing market with offset printing and finishing services.
• Elanders: Swedish-based global print and packaging provider with strong book printing heritage. Directly comparable in serving publishers with integrated offset printing and supply chain services.
• Druckerei C.H. Beck: German printing operation serving the C.H. Beck publishing house and third-party publishers. Directly comparable as a German book and offset printing operation.
• Holzer Druck und Medien: German printing company offering book, magazine, and catalog printing with finishing services. Comparable mid-sized German offset printer serving publishers and B2B customers.
• Druckhaus Nomos: German printing company specializing in academic books, legal publications, and journals. Comparable B2B offset printer serving publishers and institutional customers.
• GGP Media: Large German printing company offering book, magazine, and catalog printing with integrated production. Closely comparable to PASSAVIA as a B2B offset printer serving publishers.
• CPI (Clays): One of Europe's largest book printers, producing hardcovers, paperbacks, and special editions. Comparable as a book printing specialist with similar publisher relationships.
• Mohn Media (Mohndruck): Bertelsmann-owned German printer producing books, magazines, and advertising materials. Direct competitor in commercial offset printing with similar publisher customer base.
• Kösel: German book printing company specializing in hardcover and specialty book production. Comparable in serving publishers with high-quality book printing and binding.

Broad incumbents

• Bertelsmann Printing Group: Large diversified printing division of Bertelsmann, encompassing multiple printing operations across Europe. Broader incumbent with significant scale advantages in offset printing and publisher relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Passavia-Druckservice/231087817023704
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/passavia
• Instagraminstagram.com/passavia_druckservice/?hl=de

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 PASSIVE