What Forum Verlag Herkert does

Forum Verlag Herkert GmbH is a German specialist B2B publisher and professional training provider founded in 1988 and headquartered in Merching, Germany. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Forum Media Group and employs between 501 and 1,000 staff. It serves customers ranging from small and medium-sized businesses to named DAX corporations (including Dr. Beckmann, Kühl Unternehmensgruppe, R+V, and Dimensions Group) across more than 14 professional topic verticals, including occupational safety, construction and real estate, healthcare and nursing, data protection and IT security, municipal administration, customs and export, energy and environment, and management. The portfolio is organized under two flagship brands — FORUM Fachmedien (professional publications) and AKADEMIE HERKERT (continuing education).

The company's product surface is delivered via print and digital channels: loose-leaf collections with automatic updates, books, periodicals, e-books, e-papers, software, online training, webinars, and certification-bearing courses. Core infrastructure includes a Shopware-based e-commerce storefront (shop.forum-verlag.com), a Joomla-based training platform (akademie-herkert.de), the WebCampus LMS (campus.akademie-herkert.de), more than a dozen topic-specific magazine portals (info-bauleitung.de, qm-praxis-pflege.de, die-praxisanleitung.de, der-brandschutzbeauftragte.de, among others), specialized web applications (vorschriftenmonitor.de for regulatory monitoring, fluchtplanmanager.de for evacuation planning, fachtutorials.de for tutorials), and an AI-powered service platform (gpt.forum-verlag.com). Supporting tools include FINDOLOGIC/Doofinder for search, Userlike for live chat, ZOOM for virtual events, and PayPal for payments.

Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring subscriptions (loose-leaf auto-update services, online portals, WebCampus enrollments), one-time purchases (single publications, software licenses, digital downloads), and professional services (in-person seminars, open-enrollment courses, online training). Pricing ranges from approximately €2.90 for a single periodical issue to multi-hundred-euro training bundles, with separate German and international shipping tiers. The go-to-market combines self-serve e-commerce, content-marketing-driven free PDF lead magnets via the Fachwissen portal, email and newsletter marketing, organic social media (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Xing), and direct telephone-based consultative sales for enterprise customers. Distribution is predominantly domestic and German-language, with international shipping available for physical products and global digital access. No external funding rounds, M&A activity, or public-market indicators are present in the available source material.

Name

Forum Verlag Herkert

Legal name

Forum Verlag Herkert GmbH

Website

https://forum-verlag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Forum Verlag Herkert GmbH is a German B2B specialist publisher and training provider offering professional publications, software, and certified continuing education across 14+ verticals (occupational safety, construction, healthcare, data protection, customs/export) to SMBs and DAX enterprises via AKADEMIE HERKERT and the Shopware-based shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Merching

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Publications (Fachmedien): Sale of professional publications including loose-leaf collections, books, periodicals, and digital formats (e-books, e-papers). Offered as one-time purchases and subscriptions. Revenue from print and digital formats, with automatic update services for loose-leaf collections.
2. Software Licenses: Sale of software products on physical media or as downloads, including training/instructional software with CME continuing education credit tracking capabilities. Single-seat and multi-seat license options.
3. Seminars and Events: Revenue from in-person seminars, open enrollment courses, and online training sessions through AKADEMIE HERKERT. Includes online webinars and virtual events. Pricing varies by format and duration.
4. Online Training and Distance Learning: Web-based training programs including WebCampus and campus.akademie-herkert.de for certificate exams, with CME credit certification available. Subscription or per-course pricing models.
5. Online Portal Subscriptions: Access to online databases, portals, and web-based applications with content and functions available for subscription periods, with test/trial access options available.
6. Digital Content Downloads: Sale of digital content including e-papers, e-books, and downloadable documents in PDF and other formats. Downloads remain accessible after subscription ends if downloaded during active subscription.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forum Verlag Herkert publishes specialized B2B professional media (Fachmedien) — including loose-leaf collections, periodicals, books, e-books, and digital content — across 14+ topic areas such as occupational safety, construction, healthcare, data protection, and customs/export. It also operates AKADEMIE HERKERT, a continuing education arm delivering seminars, webinars, online training, and distance learning programs with certification/CME credits, complemented by specialized digital tools such as WebCampus (LMS), vorschriftenmonitor.de, fluchtplanmanager.de, and fachtutorials.de.

Product overview

Forum Verlag Herkert is a professional publishing company and training organization offering a dual product portfolio: FORUM Fachmedien (professional publications) and AKADEMIE HERKERT (continuing education). Their offerings span 14+ topic areas including occupational safety, construction, data protection, healthcare, municipal services, and more. Products are delivered as print publications, e-books, digital downloads, software tools, online portals, and training programs. The company operates multiple digital platforms including shop.forum-verlag.com (e-commerce), akademie-herkert.de (training), and various specialized web applications like WebCampus (online learning), FORUM Desk (support), and topic-specific portals for regulations, evacuation planning, and professional tutorials. Publications include specialized guides such as Der Brandschutzbeauftragte, QM-Praxis in der Pflege, and Datenschutz Jahrbuch, while training encompasses seminars, webinars, online courses, and certification programs through AKADEMIE HERKERT.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AKADEMIE HERKERT: Professional training and continuing education academy offering seminars, online training, and distance learning programs across multiple topic areas.

Products and services

• FORUM Fachmedien (Professional Publications) Specialized B2B publications including loose-leaf collections, periodicals, books, e-books, and digital downloads covering 14+ topic areas such as occupational safety, construction, data protection, healthcare, municipal services, energy, and customs/export compliance. Sold as one-time purchases and recurring subscriptions, with automatic update services for loose-leaf editions.
• AKADEMIE HERKERT (Continuing Education) Professional training and continuing education program offering in-person seminars, webinars, online courses, and distance learning across occupational safety, construction, healthcare, data protection, electrical safety, HR, customs/export, AI, and other topics. Includes certificate examinations and CME-accredited certification.
• Der Brandschutzbeauftragte (Fire Protection Officer Publication) Publication and training resource for fire protection officers covering responsibilities, fire safety regulations, and best practices.
• Unterweisung Direkt (Workplace Safety Instruction Materials) Workplace safety instruction materials and templates for employee training and compliance documentation, used by safety officers and HR personnel.
• Sicherheitshandbuch Elektrosicherheit (Electrical Safety Handbook) Comprehensive safety handbook covering electrical safety regulations and workplace safety procedures, targeted at electrical safety professionals and safety officers.
• QM-Praxis in der Pflege (Healthcare Quality Management) Quality management guide for nursing and healthcare facilities, covering hygiene standards, MDK audit preparation, and quality assurance processes.
• Die Praxisanleitung (Nursing Practical Instruction Guide) Training guide for practical instruction in nursing and healthcare settings, used by nursing practice instructors and care educators.
• Datenschutz 2026 Jahrbuch (Data Protection Annual Handbook) Annual handbook covering data protection regulations, GDPR compliance, and IT security best practices, used by data protection officers and compliance managers.
• Handbuch Planung und Wirtschaftlichkeit von Photovoltaik-Anlagen (Photovoltaic Planning Handbook) Planning handbook for photovoltaic systems covering technical planning and economic viability assessment, for renewable energy professionals and planners.
• Das GmbH-Recht (GmbH Law Reference) Legal reference publication covering German limited liability company (GmbH) law, corporate governance, and compliance for managing directors and legal advisors.
• PC-gestützte Bearbeitung komplexer Zolldokumente (Customs Document Software) Software tool with accompanying guide for computer-based processing of complex customs documents, sold as licensed software with single-seat and multi-seat options.
• WebCampus Online Learning Platform Online learning management system delivering AKADEMIE HERKERT online training and continuing education courses, including certificate examinations.
• vorschriftenmonitor.de (Regulation Monitoring Portal) Online subscription portal for monitoring regulations and compliance requirements with automatic updates across occupational safety, construction, and other regulated topics.
• fluchtplanmanager.de (Emergency Evacuation Plan Tool) Web-based subscription tool for creating and managing emergency evacuation plans for buildings, targeted at facility managers and safety officers.
• fachtutorials.de (Professional Tutorial Platform) Online tutorial platform providing structured learning content for various professional industries, complementing the AKADEMIE HERKERT program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customer base includes both SMBs and major DAX corporations

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Forum Media GroupcoreOthers · 1 January 1988Forum Verlag Herkert GmbH is a subsidiary company of Forum Media Group, an internationally active media company founded in 1988. The parent company focuses on providing decision-relevant information for business customers, professional continuing education, and magazines, special-interest publications, and events for end consumers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xxing.com/pages/forumverlagherkertgmbh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ForumVerlag
• Facebookfacebook.com/forum.verlag.herkert.gmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forum-verlag-herkert-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Forum Verlag Herkert