Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH

What Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH does

Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH is a Cologne-based German communication and corporate-publishing agency founded in 2001 by Dirk Graalmann and Gregor Derichs. The firm operates a B2B professional-services model, delivering end-to-end magazine and book production (conception, editorial, layout, print), digital content management for client homepages and social channels, and strategic communications work including media positioning, interview facilitation, and daily media monitoring. Its primary clients are German football Bundesliga clubs — most prominently Bayer 04 Leverkusen (since the 2020/21 season, with the WERKSELF Magazin, Jahrbuch, LIVE match-day programs, and women's team publications) and TSG Hoffenheim (since August 2015, with the SPIELFELD monthly magazine, bilingual Saison Guide, digital homepage management, and clipping services). The firm also serves public-sector clients (Stadt Heidelberg, BZgA), media groups (Haas Media / look4), transportation (Urlaubs-Express / Reluex), sustainability education (Klima Arena), and youth sports (Gokixx).

The agency's underlying production model is human editorial labor rather than technology platforms: no apps, APIs, or proprietary software products are disclosed, and pricing is provided on a project-by-project basis with no public disclosure. Distribution is direct enterprise sales with a digital-first marketing presence (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and the dg-komm.com website). The firm is founder-owned (GmbH private limited liability), with no parent company, no institutional funding, and no M&A history. Operational build-out has been steady: the co-founders remain active, an Agency Director (Kathrin Bartsch) was elevated in January 2020, and editor/project-manager additions continued through 2022. A PR Report Award (November 2018) recognized the SPIELFELD format transformation as a trend-setting conversion within Bundesliga publishing.

Name

Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH

Legal name

Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH

Website

https://dg-komm.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH is a Cologne-based German communication and corporate-publishing agency, founded in 2001, producing club magazines, digital content, and media-strategy services primarily for Bundesliga football clubs and public-sector clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Communications Services

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC)

Keywords

• Corporate publishing
• Content marketing
• Media relations
• Digital content
• Communications consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Publishing Services: Full-service magazine, brochure, and book creation including conception, editorial content creation, layout, and printing. Services include club magazines (e.g., WERKSELF Magazin for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, SPIELFELD Magazin for TSG Hoffenheim), yearbooks, stadium programs, and special publications.
2. Digital Content Services: Website content management, social media channel handling, and digital content creation for clients. Includes homepage editorial support, live tickers, match reports, and social media coordination.
3. Communication Strategies and Media Relations: Strategic positioning in media, interview facilitation, communication work, comprehensive analysis, and development of individual communication strategies for clients. Includes media monitoring and clippings services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH is a B2B communications agency that provides corporate publishing services, digital content production, communication strategy development, and media relations support to organizations. The firm produces magazines, yearbooks, special publications, websites, and digital media content for clients including professional football clubs, public sector institutions, and media companies.

Product overview

Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH is a communication agency specializing in Corporate Publishing, Digital Content, and Communication Strategies. The company operates primarily as a service provider producing print and digital publications for sports clients, notably Bayer 04 Leverkusen (WERKSELF Magazin, WERKSELF Jahrbuch, WERKSELF LIVE, WERKSELF LIVE Frauen, WERKSELF Sonderpublikationen) and TSG Hoffenheim (SPIELFELD Magazin, Saison Guide, Medienspiegel). Services include magazine and publication creation, website management, social media support, and media monitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Publishing

Named customers8 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ServiceDesign (Heidelberg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner for the look4 lifestyle magazine project for Haas Media. ServiceDesign (Heidelberg) is responsible for the graphic design while Derichs & Graalmann handles content production.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Faktor 3 AG: German PR and corporate communications agency with strong sports and consumer practice. Similar in delivering integrated communications for brands and institutions, with overlapping sports client roster.
• Hering Schuppener Consulting: Leading German corporate communications and public relations consultancy. Comparable in strategic communications, media relations and content production services for enterprises and institutions, though less specialized in sports publishing.
• Triagon Group: German sports communications and marketing agency serving Bundesliga clubs and sports organizations. Directly comparable to Derichs & Graalmann in its focus on football clients and integrated PR/publishing service offering.
• Kirchhoff Consult: German consulting and communications firm active in PR, IR and corporate publishing. Comparable in serving DAX/corporate and institutional clients with strategic communications and editorial publishing.

Broad incumbents

• Scholz & Friends (Sports): German creative agency with sports practice serving clubs and federations. Comparable in serving football clients on creative/content output, though positioned at larger brand campaign level rather than club magazine production.
• Jung von Matt/SPORTS: Sports creative marketing arm of major German agency Jung von Matt. Overlaps in serving football clubs and sports brands on creative campaigns and content, though focused on advertising creativity rather than club magazines.
• SPORTFIVE (Hagedorn Group successor): Global sports marketing and rights agency with deep Bundesliga club relationships. Comparable in serving football clubs' commercial/communications needs, though materially larger and rights-focused rather than publishing-led.
• Serviceplan Sport: Sports marketing arm of Germany's largest independent agency group. Overlaps with Derichs & Graalmann in serving Bundesliga clubs and sports brands, but operates as part of a much broader full-service portfolio.
• Infront Sports & Media: International sports marketing and media rights company with Bundesliga ties. Comparable touchpoints with Bundesliga commercial ecosystem, though focused on rights distribution rather than editorial publishing.

Others

• Ströer (Sports Media): German out-of-home and digital media company with sports advertising products. Related as a media partner that monetizes football audiences (including Bundesliga clubs), making it an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct agency competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DGkomm
• Facebookfacebook.com/derichsgraalmann
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/derichs-graalmann-kommunikation-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Derichs & Graalmann Kommunikation GmbH