What Birkan does

BIRKAN GmbH is a privately held German specialty manufacturer founded in 1922 and headquartered in Eching am Ammersee, Bavaria, that supplies consumables and engineered materials to the commercial printing industry. Its core product is a portfolio of more than 25 offset printing blanket variants covering sheetfed, webfed, narrow web/continuous, UV, carton, label, metal, CD/DVD, plastic, and varnishing applications, complemented by POLYFOL underpacking films, calibrated underpacking sheets, the BK/PO underpacking blanket, custom coating-form cylinder underpacking, and thickness measurement instruments. The company also produces the Laserline EPDM line of direct-laser-engraved elastomer printing plates for flexographic and varnishing applications, with proprietary compressible microsphere layers and resolutions up to 5080 dpi, and offers a banknote/security printing materials line.

Underlying technology is built on polymer chemistry and digital manufacturing: nitrile polymer blends, EPDM elastomers, and microsphere-based compressible layers provide smash resistance, vibration dampening, and chemical resistance; direct laser engraving eliminates solvents in plate production. The business model is B2B direct-to-printer sales via a quote-based pricing system with 30-day net payment terms and ex-works delivery from Germany, supplemented by a specialized dealer (Fachhändler) channel, technical consulting services (Aufzugsmessung, coating form service), and a 3D printing service for replacement parts and prototypes. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015 (since 2022), ISEGA food-safety certification on UV Compressible EPDM and Super Strip, and REACH compliance for several products, enabling food packaging market access. The company markets through a bilingual German/English website, downloadable technical documentation, and presence on LinkedIn, Xing, Facebook, and YouTube, serving commercial and packaging printers primarily in DACH and German-speaking European markets.

BIRKAN's competitive positioning rests on 100+ years of brand heritage, deep domain specialization in offset and flexographic materials, certified quality and food-safety compliance, and proprietary polymer and laser-engraving technology. Headcount of 11–50 employees indicates a mid-scale specialty manufacturer; revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Birkan

Legal name

BIRKAN GmbH

Website

https://birkan.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BIRKAN GmbH is a German specialty manufacturer (founded 1922) supplying offset printing blankets, Laserline EPDM flexographic plates, and underpacking materials to commercial and packaging printers in DACH and European markets, with ISO 9001 and ISEGA certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Printing Consumables and Materials

NAICS

Support Activities for Printing (32312), Fabric Coating Mills (313320)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Prepress, Plate-Making & Artwork Services (IMALAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Flexible Packaging Printing & Decoration (Flexo, Gravure, Digital, Cold Foil) (IMALABAM), Label Stock, Inks, Coatings & Laminates (Materials Supply) (IMALAKAL)

Keywords

• Offset printing blankets
• Flexographic printing plates
• Varnishing coating plates
• Underpacking printing materials
• Printing technical services

Headquarters

HQ city

Eching

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Offset Printing Blankets: Sale of offset printing blankets for sheetfed, webfed, and narrow web applications. Products include conventional ink and UV-compatible blankets, compressible and non-compressible options.
2. Flexographic Printing Plates: Laser engraved elastomer printing plates and photopolymer plates for flexographic printing. Includes Laserline EPDM series (CSC, CSX, CSX 5k, CSL, CML variants).
3. Varnishing Plates and Blankets: Specialized coating/varnishing plates and blankets for inline coating applications including UV and aqueous dispersion coatings.
4. Underpacking Materials: Underpacking foils (POLYFOL), calibrated sheets, underpacking blankets (BK/PO), and coating form cylinder underpacking.
5. Measurement Instruments: Thickness gauges and measurement instruments for print shop quality control.
6. Technical Services: Technical consulting, laser direct engraving service, coating form service, lift measurement (Aufzugsmessung), and 3D printing service for replacement parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BIRKAN manufactures and supplies offset printing blankets, flexographic and varnishing printing plates, underpacking materials (foils, sheets, blankets), and measurement instruments for sheetfed, web offset, narrow web, and label printing operations. The company complements its consumables portfolio with technical services including direct laser engraving of elastomer plates, 3D printing of replacement parts and prototypes, coating form preparation, and lift measurement consulting.

Product overview

Birkan is a printing materials specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of offset and flexographic printing consumables. The core product line consists of high-quality printing blankets available in over 25 specialized variants for applications including sheetfed offset, webfed offset, UV printing, carton printing, label printing, metal printing, plastic container printing, and varnishing/coating. Complementary product lines include Laserline EPDM laser-engraved elastomer printing plates (CSC, CSX, CSL, CML variants), varnishing plates (Aqua Plus, Poly Green, Rossa Evo series, Varniplate TPE Blue), and underpacking materials (POLYFOL films in self-adhesive and uncoated variants, calibrated sheets, BK/PO underpacking blankets, and custom coating form cylinder underpacking). The company also provides value-added services including direct laser engraving, 3D printing for spare parts, coating form service, and lift measurement consulting. Measurement instruments round out the accessory portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Laserline EPDM: Laser engraved elastomer printing plates and varnishing plates including CSC, CSX, CSX 5k, CSL, and CML variants
• POLYFOL
• BIRKAN BK/PO
• Tyref

Products and services

• Offset Printing Blankets High-quality printing blankets covering all offset applications including sheetfed, webfed, UV printing, carton printing, label printing, metal printing, CD/DVD printing, plastic container printing, and varnishing. Portfolio includes specialized blankets for conventional and UV inks with various thicknesses, compressibility levels, and surface properties. Targeted at commercial offset printers across all segments.
• Laserline EPDM Printing Plates Laser engraved elastomer printing plates manufactured via proprietary direct laser engraving technology at up to 5080 dpi resolution. Suitable for flexographic printing, varnishing, and plastic/metal printing applications. Features resistance to chemicals, no swelling, breakage resistance, and water-based cleaning only. For flexographic printers serving flexible packaging, film, and label production.
• Varnishing Plates Specialized coating and varnishing plates for inline coating applications in offset presses. Available in TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), photopolymer, and elastomer options. Compatible with aqueous dispersion coatings and UV coatings, including special coatings like soft-touch and matte finishes. ISEGA and REACH-compliant options available for food packaging. For printers requiring inline varnishing, spot coating, or area coating capability.
• POLYFOL Underpacking Foils Dimensionally stable polyester underpacking foils for cylinder circumference and print length adjustment under printing blankets. Available in uncoated, self-adhesive (SKL), and matte self-adhesive (M SKL) variants. Thickness range from 0.04mm to 0.60mm (uncoated) and 0.04mm to 0.60mm (SKL), with POLYFOL M SKL from 0.10mm to 0.25mm. PVC-free with high shear adhesive strength, tear and swelling resistance, and temperature stability.
• Calibrated Underpacking Sheets Quality calibrated underpacking sheets manufactured according to ISO standards for calibrated materials. Available in thicknesses from 0.1 to 0.5mm with a color-coded system for easy identification. Maximum thickness tolerance of 0.01mm and water-repellent pre-treatment for cylinder pack adjustments in offset presses.
• BIRKAN BK/PO Underpacking Blanket Underpacking blanket for rubber blanket cylinders, also usable for embossing applications. Made with pre-calendered cotton fabric and nitrile polymer surface for high solvent and damping solution resistance. Features excellent dimensional stability, minimal gauge loss, and additional smash resistance.
• Coating Form Cylinder Underpacking Compressible underpacking for coating form cylinders, custom-made to individual customer specifications. Reduces setup time as the underpacking can remain on the cylinder for at least six months. Available in self-adhesive or non-adhesive versions.
• Thickness Gauges / Measurement Instruments Thickness gauges and measurement instruments for printing press calibration and quality control in print shops.
• Banknote and Security Printing Materials Specialized printing materials engineered for banknote and security printing applications, used by central banks and security printing operations.
• Direct Laser Engraving Service Laser direct engraving service for elastomer printing plates. The fully digital manufacturing process consists of only two steps: direct laser engraving and cleaning, without solvents or other chemicals. Maximum 5080 dpi resolution. For printers and converters requiring custom-engraved flexographic or coating plates.
• 3D Printing Service 3D printing service for manufacturing replacement parts, single pieces, or prototypes quickly and cost-effectively. For print shop operators needing spare parts or custom prototyping without traditional tooling lead times.
• Coating Form Service Service for coating form preparation and maintenance, supporting printers with inline varnishing and coating operations.
• Lift Measurement Service Technical consulting service for measuring and optimizing cylinder lift/press settings (Aufzugsmessung) on offset presses, supporting consistent print quality and blanket performance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Compressible layer reduces smash damage and extends blanket life
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Flint Group: Flint Group is a major supplier of flexographic printing plates, inks, and consumables to the packaging and label printing industry. Competes with BIRKAN in the flexo plate and coating/ink-adjacent consumables space.
• Asahi Kasei (including Flexo Concepts / AWP): Asahi Kasei supplies photopolymer flexo printing plates and related printing consumables globally through its AWP and Flexo Concepts businesses. Directly relevant peer on the flexographic plate product line where BIRKAN positions Laserline EPDM.
• Continental ContiTech: Continental's ContiTech division is one of the world's largest manufacturers of offset printing blankets, competing head-to-head with BIRKAN across sheetfed and webfed applications. Comparable on product family, target printer customer base, and global commercial/industrial print channel; Continental has a vastly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Trelleborg Printing Solutions: Trelleborg's Printing Solutions business produces offset printing blankets and related consumables, directly competing with BIRKAN's core Drucktücher range. Same product category, same press-shop buyer, similar consultative technical sales model; Trelleborg adds global footprint and polymer-materials integration.
• DuPont Cyrel: DuPont's Cyrel brand is the global market leader in photopolymer flexographic printing plates. Birkan's Laserline EPDM laser-engraved plates compete in the same flexo plate-making segment, particularly for solvent-free and high-resolution applications.
• Fujifilm: Fujifilm's Flexographic and Inkjet divisions produce flexo plates (FleneX), inks, and printing supplies. Comparable as a global printing-materials incumbent with R&D capacity and broad product portfolio that BIRKAN does not have.

Direct peers

• Kinyo: Kinyo is a Japanese specialist manufacturer of offset printing blankets serving sheetfed and web press markets worldwide. BIRKAN and Kinyo are the closest like-for-like competitors in terms of specialist blanket offering and mid-size independent manufacturer profile.

Others

• Heidelberger Druckmaschinen: Heidelberger is the dominant global press manufacturer and a major customer/distribution channel for printing consumables including blankets. BIRKAN supplies OEMs and aftermarket via similar technical B2B channels, making Heidelberg the most important buyer ecosystem for BIRKAN's products.

Emerging players

• XSYS (formerly DSI / Polyfibron): XSYS specializes in flexographic printing plates and prepress equipment, focused exclusively on packaging and label flexo applications. Closest in spirit to BIRKAN's specialist plate-making focus, though larger and more narrowly focused on flexo.
• Miraclon (Kodak Flexcel): Miraclon markets Kodak's Flexcel NX flexographic plate-making system, a direct digital alternative to traditional photopolymer and laser-engraved plates. Competes with BIRKAN's Laserline EPDM offering in digital/laser plate-making for flexographic printers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Birkan