Kleinhempel

What Kleinhempel does

Kleinhempel GmbH is a Hamburg-based, family-owned (third-generation) visual communication company founded in 1936, employing approximately 40 staff and operating a single production facility in the Langenhorn district. The company delivers large-format printing (facade posters, scaffolding banners, giant posters up to 810+ sqm, exhibition stands, building wraps), digital signage (LED walls, outdoor displays, digital steles, touchscreens with a cloud-based content management system), professional product photography, and media services (wayfinding, signaletics, store concepts). Its customer base spans fashion and apparel (Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Nike, adidas, PUMA, Brax), retail (IKEA, Aldi, Globetrotter, Roy Robson), automotive (VW, Hertz & Selck), telecommunications (Vodafone, Congstar), technology (Google Pixel, Airbnb, Netflix), and public/institutional clients (OMR, ARD/NDR, FC St. Pauli, Marktkirche Hanover), with primary geographic concentration in the DACH region.

The company's technology stack is anchored in proprietary sustainable materials: Aero Puro, a photocatalytic coating that decomposes pollutants and self-cleans printed surfaces (claimed equivalent to 70 large deciduous trees per 1,000 m²); GreenTex SEAQUAL materials made from upcycled marine plastic; and GreenTex Infinite, a closed-loop poster-to-poster recycling system converting used polyester banners back into virgin-quality PET yarn. The digital signage platform is a cloud-based HTML5 CMS with integrations to Outlook, Google Workspace, SharePoint, Power BI, and Active Directory, supporting scheduled playback, offline operation, and real-time triggers. Kleinhempel is a certified beMatrix partner for sustainable trade fair construction and operates as a climate-neutral business, offsetting CO2 emissions via Gold Standard projects while running electric vehicles, LED lighting, and renewable energy.

The business operates on a direct-sales, project-based pricing model with no public pricing or e-commerce channel. Revenue is generated from large-format printing projects (one-time campaign revenue), digital signage hardware sales combined with recurring support and hosting agreements, professional photography fees, and media-services project fees. Distribution is primarily direct, supplemented by channel partnerships with out-of-home media operators (Outsite Media, blowUP media) and creative agencies (Jung von Matt, Scholz & Friends). Operations are managed by Managing Directors Friedrich Kleinhempel and Kim Simmerlein, with no external institutional investors or parent company identified.

Name

Kleinhempel

Legal name

Kleinhempel GmbH

Website

https://kleinhempel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kleinhempel is a Hamburg-based, third-generation family-owned visual communication company offering large-format printing, digital signage (LED walls and cloud-based CMS), product photography, and media services to enterprise brands across the DACH region, differentiated by proprietary sustainable materials including Aero Puro coating and closed-loop recycling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Visual Communication Services

NAICS

Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185)

SIC

Commercial Printing (2750)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Event Decor, Branding & Signage (HSACADAJ)

Keywords

• Large format printing
• Digital signage solutions
• Visual communication services
• Sustainable advertising materials
• Product photography services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Large Format Printing Services: Production and installation of large-format print materials including scaffolding banners, facade posters, exhibition stands, giant posters, vehicle wrapping, and building wrapping. Services include printing, confection (sewing, welding, gluing), and on-site assembly. Revenue is project-based, one-time per campaign.
2. Digital Signage Solutions: Full-service digital signage including hardware (LED walls, outdoor displays, digital steles, touchscreens), software (CMS/player management), installation, and ongoing support. Includes a Support and Hosting Agreement (Support- und Hosting-Vertrag) suggesting recurring service revenue.
3. Photography Services: Product photography for online catalogs, websites, packshots, cut-outs, and 360° views for retail and corporate clients.
4. Media Services: Media concepts, signaletics (corporate wayfinding and communication systems), store concept design, customer guidance systems, and facade foil application. Project-based professional services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kleinhempel is a Hamburg-based one-stop service provider producing large format printed advertising (facade posters, scaffolding banners, giant posters, building wraps, exhibition stands) combined with digital signage hardware/software (LED walls, outdoor displays, digital steles, touchscreens with cloud-based CMS), supported by product photography and media services (wayfinding, signaletics, store concepts). All services are delivered end-to-end from in-house consultation and production in Hamburg through on-site installation, with a strong proprietary sustainability platform spanning PVC-free materials, recycled polyester, ocean-plastic substrates, and the air-purifying Aero Puro coating.

Product overview

Kleinhempel is a Hamburg-based provider of visual communication solutions operating as a one-stop service provider. The core offering centers on Large Format Printing (digital printing on various materials in XXL formats) combined with Digital Signage solutions (hardware, CMS software, and services). Supporting services include Photography and Media Services (signage, wayfinding, store concepts). The company differentiates through sustainable materials: GreenTex SEAQUAL (ocean plastic recycling), GreenTex Infinite (circular recycling), GreenLine materials (PVC-free options), and proprietary Aero Puro coating (air purification). The Digital Signage platform includes cloud-based CMS with integrations to enterprise tools (Outlook, Google Workspace, SharePoint, Power BI, Active Directory). All offerings are tied together with a commitment to climate-neutral operations, CO2 compensation, eco-power, and heat recovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Large Format Printing High-quality large format printing of facades, scaffolding banners, giant posters, exhibition stands, building wraps, and vehicle wrapping on diverse materials including PVC-free substrates, recycled polyester, GreenTex SEAQUAL ocean-plastic yarn, and GreenLine mesh/frontlit/backlit options. Includes in-house confection (sewing, welding, gluing) and on-site assembly. Used by brand owners, out-of-home media operators, event organizers, and retailers.
• Digital Signage Solutions Full-service digital signage offering including LED walls, indoor/outdoor displays, digital steles, touchscreens, and a cloud-based HTML5 content management system (CMS) with time-scheduled content playback, offline capability, player management, RSS feeds, social media integration, video walls, and integrations with Outlook, Google Workspace, SharePoint, Power BI, and Active Directory. Includes installation, ongoing support, and a Support and Hosting Agreement.
• Photography Services Professional product photography services including packshots, cut-outs, 360° views, and high-quality product photography for e-commerce catalogs, websites, and marketing materials. Targeted at retailers, e-commerce brands, and product manufacturers.
• Media Services Comprehensive media solutions including signage systems (signaletics), wayfinding, customer guidance systems, store concept design, facade branding, and facade foil application. Project-based professional services for corporate communication.
• Sustainable Trade Show Solutions Exhibition and event printing solutions using 100% recycled and recyclable materials, including display systems and beMatrix modular frame integration for sustainable trade show presence. Targeted at event organizers, trade fair participants, and marketing agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1000 m² of Aero Puro coating purifies air as effectively as 70 large deciduous trees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers46 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SEAQUAL INITIATIVEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKleinhempel is an official partner of the SEAQUAL INITIATIVE, using SEAQUAL® YARN — high-quality yarn made from plastic waste collected from the world's oceans (Upcycled Marine Plastic™) — in its giant poster and large-format print materials. The partnership enables Kleinhempel to offer ocean-plastic-based advertising materials that are 100% PVC-free, contributing to marine plastic cleanup while delivering high-quality printed advertising. The partnership is expanding to consistently promote sustainability in the advertising industry.
• beMatrixcoreTechnology or IntegrationKleinhempel is officially certified as a bePartner of beMatrix, a modular frame system for sustainable trade fair and event construction. As a certified partner, Kleinhempel uses the beMatrix frame system combined with 100% recycled and recyclable print materials to deliver sustainable exhibition stands. This certification differentiates Kleinhempel in the trade show and events segment.
• Climate Partner / natureOfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKleinhempel works with natureOffice to offset CO2 emissions via Gold Standard climate protection projects. The Klimaschutzkombi-Zertifikat Deutschland Plus (Gold Standard) combines international climate protection with regional environmental projects in Germany. This partnership supports Kleinhempel's climate-neutral certification and enables customers to participate in regional climate protection by purchasing Kleinhempel products.
• Outsite MediacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-term working relationship with Outsite Media, a major out-of-home advertising company in Germany. Kleinhempel produces large-format print materials (giant posters, scaffolding banners) that Outsite Media installs on its billboard networks. Projects include campaigns for Nike (Olympics), PUMA, Aldi, Spreequell, and a landmark 810 sqm scaffolding banner in Berlin.
• blowUP mediacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-term working relationship with blowUP media, a major out-of-home advertising company. Kleinhempel produces print campaigns for blowUP media including IKEA 50th anniversary, Congstar, Volkswagen (Football EM), Google Pixel, Vodafone, and Hornbach with Aero Puro coating.
• Nordlite Event Solutions GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for exhibition stand projects. Kleinhempel supplies truss and stand elements for ARD and NDR (German public broadcasting) exhibition stands at events such as OMR, assembled by Nordlite Event Solutions.
• Umweltpartnerschaft HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership in the Hamburg Environmental Partnership (Umweltpartnerschaft Hamburg), supporting Kleinhempel's environmental commitment and sustainability positioning.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• blowUP media: European specialist for giant posters and building-wrap advertising, headquartered in Germany. Directly comparable as a long-standing Kleinhempel channel partner executing the same scaffold banner and mega poster campaigns for global brands.
• Wall GmbH: German out-of-home advertising company (formerly Wall Decaux) operating city light posters, mega posters, and digital out-of-home networks. Directly comparable as a DACH-focused OOH media owner that commissions large-format print and digital signage campaigns.
• Outsite Media: German out-of-home media company specializing in premium large-format advertising at high-traffic locations. Directly comparable as a Kleinhempel channel partner commissioning giant poster and scaffolding banner campaigns for major brands.
• Onlineprinters GmbH: European e-commerce printing platform for business customers, offering large-format and offset printing. Comparable as a commercial printing competitor with a self-service/online channel approach that contrasts with Kleinhempel's sales-led model.

Regional players

• CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA: European photo printing and commercial print group headquartered in Germany. Comparable as a German printing services provider with commercial and product photography operations, though primarily consumer-photo focused.

Broad incumbents

• FASTSIGNS International: Large North American franchised signage and visual communications network producing custom signs, graphics, and digital displays. Comparable as a multi-service signage/visual communications provider with both print and digital signage offerings.
• JCDecaux: Global leader in out-of-home advertising and street furniture, with significant operations in Germany including billboard and digital display networks. Comparable as an OOH/digital signage operator that consumes large-format print and digital signage infrastructure across Europe.
• Flyeralarm: One of Europe's largest online printing companies, offering large-format, digital, and offset printing to B2B and SMB customers. Comparable as a scaled German/European commercial printing competitor, though operating a more self-service, platform-driven model.
• Ströer SE & Co. KGaA: One of Germany's largest out-of-home advertising and digital signage media owners, operating billboard, street furniture, and DOOH networks. Comparable as a major German OOH/digital signage counterpart, though much larger and integrated as a media owner rather than a production service provider.

Others

• Samsung Electronics (Display Division): Major manufacturer of commercial digital signage displays and provider of the MagicINFO CMS platform. Comparable as a digital signage hardware/software ecosystem competitor and potential ecosystem partner for large rollouts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/kleinhempel-gmbh-hamburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/kleinhempel.de

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Kleinhempel