ORCA van Loon Communications

What ORCA van Loon Communications does

ORCA van Loon Communications GmbH is a Hamburg-based strategic communications consultancy positioned as Germany's only third-generation owner-managed firm in its category. Founded in 2012 as part of the ORCA Gruppe network, the firm operates from three offices in Hamburg (headquarters), Bremen, and Mallorca, with a disclosed team of 11-50 employees structured around Managing Partner Hendrik Schulze van Loon, Partner Jakob Baugirdis, senior consultants, an AI Specialist, and office management. The firm serves mid-to-large enterprises and public institutions across automotive, financial services, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, real estate, and government sectors, including Tata Steel Europe, BMW Financial Services, Autoliv, Voith, Indaver, and Stadtwerke Uelzen.

The firm's service portfolio spans seven core areas: strategic consulting, internal and change communications, crisis and issues management, restructuring communications, media relations and thought leadership, sustainability and technology communications, and content and distribution. The firm operates a proprietary Triple-A-Approach methodology (Analyze, Assess, Advise) and an internally developed AI-supported Issues Monitoring System for early crisis detection, complemented by a Crisis Resilience Score audit methodology. It is a founding member of the GPRA (German PR Association) and certified to Consultancy Management Standard IV (CMS IV), with quality standards externally audited per DIN ISO 19011.

Revenue is generated through bespoke project-based and retainer consulting engagements with custom-scoped fees; no standard pricing is publicly disclosed. New business is acquired through reputation, network referrals, thought leadership content, event participation (e.g., Deutscher PR-Tag), and a free Crisis Audit lead magnet. International mandates are delivered through the ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation) network, and cyber resilience offerings are delivered through the ENUR expert network. The firm is family-owned by Silja and Hendrik Schulze van Loon, with no external institutional investment disclosed.

Name

ORCA van Loon Communications

Legal name

ORCA van Loon Communications GmbH

Website

https://orcavanloon.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ORCA van Loon Communications is a Hamburg-based, third-generation owner-managed strategic communications consultancy providing crisis communication, change management, media relations, and AI-supported issues monitoring to mid-to-large enterprises and public institutions across Germany, with international reach via the ICCO network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategic Communications Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Reputation Management (ORM) (MPAAAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Compliance Technology, GRC Platforms & Controls Automation Advisory (BPAHAFAO)

Keywords

• Strategic communications consulting
• Crisis communication services
• Corporate reputation management
• Media relations consulting
• Change management communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Consulting: The firm generates revenue through bespoke strategic communications consulting engagements, including crisis communication, change management, restructuring communications, issues management, media relations, and sustainability communications. Revenue is project-based and retainer-based, typical of professional services consultancies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ORCA van Loon Communications is a strategic communications consultancy advising enterprises, governments, and family-owned businesses on crisis communication, corporate reputation, change management, restructuring, media relations, sustainability, and content distribution. The firm delivers bespoke consulting engagements and project-based retainers, supplemented by a free Crisis Audit (Krisen-Audit) and an AI-supported Issues Monitoring System for early crisis detection. It operates as Germany's only third-generation owner-managed strategic communications consultancy and is a founding member of GPRA.

Product overview

ORCA van Loon Communications is a strategic communications consultancy offering a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. The core offering consists of seven main service areas (Beratung & Strategie, Intern & Change, Krise & Issues, Restrukturierung & Standortschließung, Media Relations & Thought Leadership, Nachhaltigkeit & Technologie, Content & Distribution) unified by their proprietary Triple-A-Approach methodology. Supporting products include the Krisen-Audit service with Crisis Resilience Score assessment, and the AI-supported Issues Monitoring System for early crisis detection. The ENUR CYBER SHIELD is offered through a strategic partnership network for cyber resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ORCA Gruppe: A network of independent, owner-managed agencies founded in 2012, offering 360° communication services from a single source.
• ENUR (Expertennetzwerk für Unternehmensresilienz)
• ICCO Netzwerk

Products and services

• Krisen-Audit (Crisis Audit) A discrete service product providing clients with a 360-degree assessment of their crisis prevention structures, producing a proprietary Crisis Resilience Score across seven dimensions and an individualized action plan. Delivered as a taster/introductory engagement for enterprise and institutional buyers evaluating the firm.
• Beratung & Strategie (Consulting & Strategy) Strategic consulting services that guide clients from analysis to implementation of corporate communications strategy, including acting as a sparring partner for senior management. Targeted at enterprise and institutional clients needing senior-level communications counsel.
• Intern & Change (Internal & Change Communications) Change management and internal communication services that create understanding and acceptance among employee and internal stakeholder groups through strategic communication and change storytelling. Designed for organizations undergoing transformation, modernization, or restructuring.
• Krise & Issues (Crisis & Issues) Crisis communication and issues management services covering both prevention (audits, training, manuals) and acute emergency response for cyber-attacks, restructuring situations, and social media crises, with 24/7 availability. Targeted at enterprise, institutional, and public-sector clients facing reputational threats.
• Restrukturierung & Standortschließung (Restructuring & Plant Closure Communications) Communications strategy development for restructuring processes and plant or site closures, orchestrating consistent messaging for all stakeholders from employees and works councils through to customers, media, and the public. Targeted at corporations undergoing R&D relocations, site moves, or organizational restructuring.
• Media Relations & Thought Leadership

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 publications in daily and business media with approximately 180 million contacts for Tata Steel Europe by 2016
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 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

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ORCA GruppecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORCA van Loon is a member of the ORCA Gruppe, founded in 2012 as a strong network of independent, owner-managed agencies offering 360° communications services from a single source. This network provides additional capabilities and capacity for larger or multi-disciplinary mandates beyond ORCA van Loon's own team.
• ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORCA van Loon is a member of the ICCO network, providing international reach and the ability to support clients with cross-border communications mandates. ICCO is a globally recognized network of independent PR consultancies.
• ENUR – Expertennetzwerk für UnternehmensresilienzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENUR is an interdisciplinary expert network for corporate resilience developed by ORCA van Loon together with partners from crisis management, IT forensics, insurance, and law. The CYBER SHIELD offering provides individual prevention and 24/7 standby for cyber and ransomware attacks — described as unique in Germany.
• GREENITIATIVEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance for sustainability communications, combining communication and technology consulting. Offers fact-based sustainability communication including CO2 footprints, emissions balances, EU green claiming compliance reviews, and sustainability reports.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FGS Global: Major global strategic communications and advisory firm formed through merger of Finsbury, Glover Park, Hering Schuppener, and other brands. Directly comparable on strategic communications services but at much larger scale and with broader service portfolio.
• Brunswick Group: Large global strategic communications firm specializing in critical issues, M&A, and crisis advisory. Competes for enterprise crisis and corporate reputation engagements, particularly cross-border mandates, but operates at significantly larger scale with a global office network.
• FleishmanHillard: Global PR and integrated communications agency with deep German operations, offering corporate communications, public affairs, and crisis management. Competes for the same enterprise and public-sector mandates but with substantially broader service breadth and global footprint.
• Edelman: World's largest PR firm with German operations, providing corporate communications, crisis, and public affairs services. Comparable on enterprise crisis and reputation advisory but offers integrated global capabilities, paid media, and digital marketing beyond ORCA van Loon's scope.

Regional players

• comm'n'sense: Boutique German communications consultancy focused on corporate communications, public relations, and digital storytelling. Comparable in size and target market to ORCA van Loon but more digital/tech-content oriented and based in a different German region.

Direct peers

• Hering Schuppener: Leading German strategic communications consultancy specializing in corporate communications, investor relations, and crisis management. Highly comparable to ORCA van Loon given similar strategic advisory positioning, German Mittelstand focus, and deep capital-markets communications heritage.
• Kekst CNC: International strategic communications consultancy with German presence, focused on M&A, crisis, and corporate reputation advisory. Directly competes for the same enterprise crisis, restructuring, and CEO positioning mandates ORCA van Loon serves.
• Faktor 3: German owner-managed communications agency with strong presence in corporate communications, brand, and public affairs. Direct peer in size, ownership structure (independent), and positioning on integrated communications for German enterprises and associations.

Emerging players

• IHOF Agency: Independent German communications and public affairs consultancy serving corporate and association clients. Comparable in scale and target buyer segments, providing strategic communications, lobbying, and digital communications as alternatives to ORCA van Loon.
• SKM Consultants: Smaller German consultancy specializing in corporate communications and public affairs. Comparable on service offering and Mittelstand client focus, though with narrower vertical and regional concentration than ORCA van Loon.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orca-van-loon
• Instagraminstagram.com/orcavanloon
• Xx.com/theorcas
• Facebookfacebook.com/orcagruppe

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 ORCA van Loon Communications