Schreib+Keppler

What Schreib+Keppler does

Schreib+Keppler GmbH & Co. KG, operating under the BrandLight brand, is a Northern German specialty contractor focused on illuminated advertising (Lichtwerbung) and architectural signage. Founded as a family-owned limited partnership managed by Andreas Schreib and Philipp Keppler, the company runs a single production facility in Norderstedt near Hamburg, which it describes as the largest Lichtwerbung production site in Northern Germany. Its core offering covers the full project lifecycle — planning, statics and structural engineering, regulatory permitting, in-house production, and on-site installation — for illuminated letters, light profiles, advertising pylons, illuminated walls, light boxes, wayfinding systems, and bespoke architectural signage.

The company's technical base rests on LED-based illumination technology from Hansen (including Hochvolt-LED systems marketed as roughly 10% more energy-efficient than conventional 12/24V LED) applied across materials such as aluminum, acrylic glass, copper, and Accoya plantation wood. EN 1090-2 (steel up to EXC2) and EN 1090-3 (aluminum up to EXC1) certifications, held since 2011, authorize the production of load-bearing advertising structures. The product portfolio also includes proprietary assets such as the PictoFleds illuminated pictogram system and the S+K Montage-App, a paperless field-documentation tool co-developed with jekel & partner that won the Innovationspreis 2014 from the Verband der Lichtwerber Deutschland.

Revenue is generated almost entirely on a project-by-project basis through direct enterprise sales, with flagship examples including a 62m advertising tower for Dodenhof, the Unilever HafenCity headquarters logo, the DESY FLASH II / PETRA III illuminated facade logo, the DER SPIEGEL headquarters facade signs at 54m height, the Dräger headquarters orientation system, BVG and Hamburger Hochbahn signage, and heritage-protected Speicherstadt gold lettering. Customers are primarily large corporations, public institutions, and property developers in Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and selectively across Northern and Eastern Germany (notably Berlin), with adjacent work in healthcare, fitness, hospitality, and museum contexts acquired through referrals, competitive bids, and repeat engagement.

Name

Schreib+Keppler

Legal name

Schreib+Keppler GmbH & CO. KG

Website

https://brandlight.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Schreib+Keppler (BrandLight) is a Northern German specialty contractor that designs, engineers, produces, and installs bespoke illuminated advertising and architectural signage for enterprise and institutional clients across Northern Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Illuminated Advertising and Signage

NAICS

Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior) (IMAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Commercial Luminaires (High-bay, Low-bay, Troffers, Downlights) (IMAGAIAA), Commercial Lighting Fixture Installation (HSAOAFAM)

Keywords

• Illuminated advertising systems
• Custom signage manufacturing
• LED light profiles
• Advertising tower construction
• Wayfinding orientation systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Norderstedt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Illuminated Advertising Projects: Project-based revenue from the design, engineering, permitting, production, and installation of bespoke illuminated advertising systems. Projects include advertising towers (Werbetürme), facade-mounted illuminated letters, pylon signs, and other custom light advertising installations. Revenue is generated on a per-project basis with significant planning and coordination components.
2. Signage and Orientation Systems: Revenue from designing and installing wayfinding systems, orientation systems, room signage, and interior/exterior signage solutions for commercial buildings, public institutions, and retail spaces.
3. BrandLight Newsletter / Subscription Service: The company publishes a customer magazine 'BrandLight' covering light advertising trends and best practices. The BrandLight newsletter is distributed via an opt-in subscription service (Abo-Service).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Schreib+Keppler (BrandLight) designs, engineers, produces, and installs bespoke illuminated advertising systems and signage solutions for enterprise and institutional customers. The portfolio covers illuminated letters, illuminated profiles (Leuchtprofil), advertising towers (Werbeturm), light walls, light boxes, wayfinding and orientation systems, and specialized lettering in aluminum, acrylic, copper, and Accoya wood. The company holds EN 1090 certifications for structural steel and aluminum work and operates Northern Germany's largest production facility for light advertising from Norderstedt near Hamburg.

Product overview

Schreib+Keppler (BrandLight) is Northern Germany's largest illuminated advertising production company, offering a comprehensive portfolio of light advertising and signage products and services. The core offering centers on Lichtwerbung (light advertising) systems including illuminated letters (Leuchtprofil/Profilbuchstaben), illuminated profiles, light boxes (Leuchtkästen), and illuminated walls (Leuchtwand). The company has developed proprietary products including PictoFleds (illuminated pictogram system) and the S+K Montage-App (mobile documentation app). The product portfolio spans custom-built structures like 62-meter advertising towers (Werbeturm), artistic orientation systems (Orientierungssystem), wayfinding systems (Wegeleitsystem), and comprehensive signage systems (Beschilderungssystem). Specialized techniques include graffiti-style lettering for curved surfaces, gold-plated lettering (Goldschriften/Reliefbuchstaben) in copper for heritage buildings and waterfront locations, and ultra-flat LED letters with only 32mm depth. Materials used include aluminum, acrylic glass, copper, and Accoya wood. The company holds EN 1090 certifications for steel (EXC2) and aluminum (EXC1) structural components since 2011. The S+K Montage-App, developed with jekel & partner, won the 2014 Innovation Award from the German Light Advertising Association.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lichtwerbung (Illuminated Advertising Systems) Core bespoke illuminated-advertising offerings including illuminated letters, illuminated profiles, illuminated light boxes, illuminated walls, facade illumination, and illuminated or non-illuminated lettering in aluminum, acrylic glass, copper, and Accoya wood, designed, engineered, produced, and installed for enterprise and institutional customers.
• PictoFleds illuminated pictogram system Proprietary illuminated pictogram product featuring high-quality, very flat design with optimal illumination, invisible screwing, and dimmable floor-level markings, used for wayfinding and orientation systems in shopping centers and public buildings.
• S+K Montage-App Mobile application co-developed with jekel & partner enabling paperless, transparent, real-time documentation of installation and service work for technicians and customers, including integration with third-party service apps such as 'my measures'. Awarded Innovationspreis 2014 by Verband der Lichtwerber Deutschland.
• Werbeturm (Custom Advertising Towers) Custom-built illuminated advertising towers up to 62 meters tall, constructed from aluminum with tensioned fabric displays, Hochvolt-LED illumination, heated lower edges to prevent ice formation, and hurricane resistance up to 250 km/h, designed for high-visibility roadside locations.
• Wegeleitsystem (Wayfinding Systems) Directional and wayfinding systems for shopping centers and public buildings featuring illuminated pictograms and signs across multiple levels.
• Orientierungssystem (Orientation Systems) High-end artistic orientation systems with precision foil-application on glass surfaces, developed in collaboration with design firms such as Uebele (Stuttgart), covering multiple building levels and linear-meter glass surfaces.
• Beschilderungssystem (Signage Systems for Buildings) Comprehensive building signage and labeling systems for office buildings, including glass steles, door signs, wall lettering, and floor-level identification systems, often produced in collaboration with design agencies.
• Heritage Gold Lettering (Goldschriften / Reliefbuchstaben) Gold-plated and relief lettering systems using copper sheet with double gold plating (23 1/3-karat) for heritage-protected facades and waterfront locations requiring denkmal-compliant finishes.
• Weather-Resistant Wooden Signage (Holzschilder) Premium exterior wooden signage using Accoya plantation wood with sandblasted 3D effect and hand-painted finishes, designed for hospitality and coastal locations.
• LED-Leuchtbuchstaben (Ultra-Flat LED Illuminated Letters) Ultra-flat LED-illuminated letters with only 32mm depth, manufactured from milled acrylic glass with cast white power LEDs on silver aluminum bases, used for interior and exterior bank and corporate signage with up to ~10% energy savings vs. conventional neon.
• Leuchtprofil (Illuminated Profile Letters) Illuminated profile lettering systems in acrylic glass with integrated diodes/LEDs, including Profile 5 systems for logos and word-image marks with custom colors and large profile-letter heights.
• Graffiti-Beschriftung (Graffiti-Style Surface Lettering) Specialized graffiti-style surface lettering for curved and rough surfaces such as concrete walls, using spray cans for color coverage and flexible negative stencils for precise curved logo reproduction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Northern Germany's tallest advertising tower at 62 meters with 400+ sqm advertising space, built to withstand winds up to 250 km/h
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 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

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• jekel & partnercoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2014Co-developed the proprietary S+K Montage-App, a paperless documentation and service management tool for technicians in the field. jekel & partner contributed software development expertise to complement Schreib+Keppler's domain knowledge in light advertising installation and service. The app was awarded the Innovationspreis 2014 by the Verband der Lichtwerber Deutschland.
• Europoles GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Collaborated on the construction of Northern Germany's tallest advertising tower for Dodenhof in Kaltenkirchen. Europoles (based in Neumarkt/Oberpfalz) produced the spun concrete tower and delivered the ~250-ton structure in five sections. Schreib+Keppler designed and built the illuminated advertising displays and LED lighting system.
• Vector Foiltec GmbHmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Facade planning partner for the Unilever headquarters logo installation in Hamburg HafenCity. Vector Foiltec was responsible for the building's distinctive honeycomb membrane facade. Schreib+Keppler coordinated with Vector Foiltec to identify the four precise attachment points for the logo without damaging the membrane structure.
• IBZ Ingenieurbüro für Tragwerksplanung GmbH & Co. KGmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Structural engineering partner (Prüfstatiker) for the Unilever HafenCity logo project. IBZ calculated and certified the structural requirements for mounting the ~300kg illuminated logo to the building's facade and membrane structure.
• W+W DesignmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Design partner for the Unilever HafenCity illuminated logo. Created the three-dimensional CAD drawings and digital template for the precise construction and positioning of the four suspension points, enabling Schreib+Keppler to produce full-scale model aluminum brackets for on-site fitting.
• SORBA ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Dutch facade manufacturer SORBA on the DESY FLASH II-Petra III project. SORBA produced the Alucobond curtain facade while Schreib+Keppler manufactured the illuminated logo. Close coordination required between both firms to ensure millimeter-precise alignment of the logo with the facade at the building site.
• Büro Uebele (Stuttgart)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner for the Dräger headquarters orientation system in Lübeck. Büro Uebele, led by Andreas Uebele (renowned architect, graphic designer, and typographer), designed the artistic foil circle ornamentation system across five building levels. Schreib+Keppler handled the precision application of ~14,000 foil circles over ~1,400 linear meters.
• RoseITminorOthersIT services provider referenced in the Links section of the company website, serving small and medium enterprises in Hamburg and Northern Germany.
• Stave+ZanderminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPlanning office for the Europapassage Hamburg wayfinding system project. Stave+Zander provided the signage design templates and planning specifications that Schreib+Keppler executed using the proprietary PictoFleds system.
• Meta DesignmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign agency that won the pitch for the BVG Trias Towers signage concept. Meta Design developed the color scheme inspired by transit route maps ('perlenketten'), and Schreib+Keppler was subsequently awarded the implementation contract through a limited tender.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JCDecaux SA: Global outdoor advertising and street furniture giant with presence in Germany. Adjacent to Schreib+Keppler's outdoor illuminated advertising work, but operates at a vastly different scale and via standardized formats rather than bespoke fabrication.
• Zumtobel Group AG: Austrian professional lighting and connected luminaire manufacturer serving commercial, industrial, and architectural applications. Broad incumbent in the lighting industry with overlap in commercial illuminated fixtures, though not specialized in advertising fabrication.
• Waldmann GmbH & Co. KG: German-based lighting manufacturer producing industrial, office, and architectural luminaires. Overlaps with Schreib+Keppler in the commercial/architectural lighting space, but at a much larger scale and with a focus on standard luminaire product lines.
• Ströer SE & Co. KGaA: Germany's largest outdoor advertising operator. Comparable as a Lichtwerbung/out-of-home advertising player, but operates at massive scale across multiple media formats rather than specializing in custom illuminated fabrication.

Direct peers

• Heiligenberg GmbH: German Lichtwerbung specialist offering illuminated letters, pylons, and signage systems with in-house production. Direct competitor in the German illuminated advertising and wayfinding market.
• Formed GmbH Lichtwerbung: German Lichtwerbung manufacturer producing illuminated letters, profiles, and bespoke advertising systems. Direct peer in custom illuminated advertising production for commercial and retail clients.
• MKT Marketing- & Kommunikationstechnik GmbH: German full-service provider of advertising technology, illuminated signage, and digital signage solutions. Closely comparable mix of traditional Lichtwerbung and modern display technologies for enterprise customers.
• Dula-Werke: German manufacturer and installer of illuminated advertising, store fixtures, and interior signage, headquartered in Dortmund. Closely comparable full-service Lichtwerbung model serving retail and commercial clients across Germany.
• Lang GmbH Lichtwerbung: South German Lichtwerbung producer specializing in illuminated letters, light boxes, and acrylic fabrications. Direct comparable as a regional German Lichtwerbung manufacturer with custom production focus.

Emerging players

• Identytouch / Signway: German signage and wayfinding specialist serving commercial and public-sector clients. Partial overlap with Schreib+Keppler's wayfinding and orientation system business, with a more standardized product catalog approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/schreibkeppler
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brandlight

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Schreib+Keppler