Dwarsligger
Dwarsligger is a Dutch publishing imprint producing compact, patent-protected editions of complete books in a mobile-phone-sized format, serving general readers in the Netherlands and Belgium via bookstores and its own Boekenwereld.com webshop.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dwarsligger does
Uitgeverij dwarsligger is a Dutch book publishing imprint (legally registered in the Netherlands, headquartered in Amsterdam) that produces and distributes a single-format physical book product known as the Dwarsligger — a complete book bound in a handheld, mobile-phone-sized format protected by a worldwide patent. The company serves general reading consumers, with a near-500-title active catalogue spanning thrillers (Spanning), novels (Romans), and non-fiction (Non-fictie), drawing on best-selling and award-winning authors including Saskia Noort, Camilla Läckberg, Lee Child, Hanya Yanagihara, and Nicci French. Founded as a joint initiative of Jongbloed (a specialist printer and publisher of high-quality Bibles) and VBK Uitgevers Groep (the market leader in the Dutch general book market), the product has cumulatively sold more than 2 million copies since its September 2009 launch.
The underlying technology is the patented miniaturization and binding format itself, produced using Jongbloed's printing and publishing expertise to deliver a complete, 100% readable book at a fraction of the size and weight of a standard edition. There is no app, software platform, or digital component to the core product; the value proposition centers entirely on portability — the company explicitly markets the format for reading on the go, on holiday, and in bed. Distribution is multichannel: physical and online bookstores in the Netherlands and Belgium, plus the company's own Boekenwereld.com webshop. Pricing is title-specific within a range of approximately €7.50 to €21.99, with package deals available.
The company operates as a private subsidiary imprint within Ambo|Anthos uitgevers and runs with a lean team of approximately 6 employees focused on editorial curation, author and ambassador relationship management, and marketing/community engagement (including author events, an ambassador programme, a Dwarsligger Bingo reader-engagement campaign, a three-weekly newsletter, and active presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest). Revenue is generated exclusively through one-time book sales; no revenue figure is publicly disclosed. International expansion beyond the Netherlands is stated as underway, leveraging the worldwide patent as the primary moat.
Dwarsligger firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dwarsligger
- Legal name
- Uitgeverij dwarsligger
- Website
- https://dwarsligger.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Dwarsligger is a Dutch publishing imprint producing compact, patent-protected editions of complete books in a mobile-phone-sized format, serving general readers in the Netherlands and Belgium via bookstores and its own Boekenwereld.com webshop.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dwarsligger industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Compact Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD)
Keywords
Where Dwarsligger is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dwarsligger business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Book sales (one-time purchase): Dwarsligger generates revenue through the one-time sale of physical compact books at fixed price points. Books are sold through the company's own webshop (Boekenwereld.com), online bookstores, and physical book retailers in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard individual book price |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Promotional pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Dwarsligger product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dwarsligger publishes complete books in a patented compact, pocket-sized format as small and light as a mobile phone while remaining 100% readable. The imprint sells nearly 500 titles spanning thrillers, novels, and non-fiction through its own webshop (Boekenwereld.com) and through physical and online bookstores in the Netherlands and Belgium. The format is protected by a worldwide patent and was developed jointly with Jongbloed and VBK Uitgevers Groep.
Product overview
Dwarsligger is a Dutch book publishing company founded in 2010 (launched 2009) as a joint initiative between Jongbloed (a printer and publisher of high-quality bibles) and VBK Uitgevers Groep (market leader in the general book market). The company's core product is the Dwarsligger itself - a complete book in a compact, pocket-sized format as small and light as a mobile phone with worldwide patent protection. The company publishes nearly 500 titles across multiple genres including Spannende boeken (thrillers/spanning), Romans (novels), and Non-fictie (non-fiction). Products are distributed through bookstores and the company's own webshop Boekenwereld.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dwarsligger® compact book format A complete book printed in a patented miniature, mobile-phone-sized physical format that is 100% readable and designed for portable reading on the go, on holiday, and in bed. Published across genres including thrillers, novels, and non-fiction, with nearly 500 titles available, targeting general consumer readers in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Companies that use Dwarsligger
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Dwarsligger technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Dwarsligger partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- JongbloedcoreDwarsligger® is a joint initiative of Jongbloed — a printer and publisher of high-quality Bibles — and VBK Uitgevers Groep, the market leader in the general book market. Jongbloed provides the printing and publishing expertise for the compact format.
- VBK Uitgevers Groep (now part of Ambo|Anthos)coreVBK Uitgevers Groep, the market leader in the Dutch general book market, is a co-initiator of Dwarsligger and provides publishing and distribution infrastructure.
- Ambo|Anthos uitgeverscoreUitgeverij dwarsligger is an imprint of Ambo|Anthos uitgevers, located in Amsterdam. Ambo|Anthos provides the publishing infrastructure and imprint branding for Dwarsligger.
- BoekenwereldminorDwarsliggers are sold via the Boekenwereld.com webshop, which serves as the company's own online sales channel. The site is referenced as the company's own webshop.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Dwarsligger competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Prometheus: Dutch literary and non-fiction publisher, part of WPG Uitgevers. Comparable as a Dutch trade publisher publishing many of the same bestselling authors and genres.
- Atlas Contact: Major Dutch general book publisher, part of VBK Uitgevers Groep — the same group that co-initiated Dwarsligger. Directly comparable in genre mix (fiction, thrillers, non-fiction) and Dutch retail footprint.
- Meulenhoff: Dutch trade imprint under Penguin Random House Netherlands, publishing literary fiction, thrillers and non-fiction. Comparable as a Dutch publisher active in the same genres and retail channels.
- De Bezige Bij: Leading Dutch literary publisher (WPG Uitgevers), publishing high-quality fiction and non-fiction. Comparable as a Dutch-language trade publisher targeting similar readers through similar bookstore distribution.
- Karakter Uitgevers: Dutch trade publisher of fiction, thrillers and non-fiction titles. Directly comparable as a Dutch-language trade publisher competing for the same consumer readership and bookstore shelf space.
- Lannoo: Major Belgian trade book publisher active in the same Dutch-language Benelux market as Dwarsligger, publishing across genres including fiction, non-fiction, and lifestyle. Comparable in customer base and retail channels within NL/BE.
Emerging players
- Storytel: Subscription-based audiobook and e-book platform with strong Nordic and Dutch-market presence. Comparable because it competes for the same 'reading on the go' use case that Dwarsligger's compact format targets, but via a digital subscription model.
Broad incumbents
- Phaidon Press: Global publisher known for premium, design-led book formats in art, architecture, design and food. Comparable to Dwarsligger as a publisher that competes on format differentiation and premium positioning rather than on price alone.
- Penguin Random House Netherlands: Largest Dutch-language trade publisher with a broad portfolio across fiction, non-fiction and children's. Comparable as a broad incumbent publishing many of the same authors Dwarsligger features in compact format.
Direct peers
- Running Press: An imprint of Hachette Book Group known for its Miniature Editions line — small-format, pocketable book editions of popular titles. Most directly comparable to Dwarsligger because it pursues the same 'compact, complete book' value proposition for trade consumers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dwarsligger social profiles
Digital presenceDwarsligger compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Dwarsligger financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dwarsligger leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Dwarsligger funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dwarsligger M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dwarsligger
What does Dwarsligger do?
Dwarsligger publishes complete books in a patented compact, pocket-sized format as small and light as a mobile phone while remaining 100% readable. The imprint sells nearly 500 titles spanning thrillers, novels, and non-fiction through its own webshop (Boekenwereld.com) and through physical and online bookstores in the Netherlands and Belgium. The format is protected by a worldwide patent and was developed jointly with Jongbloed and VBK Uitgevers Groep.
Is Dwarsligger a public or private company?
Dwarsligger is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Dwarsligger founded?
Dwarsligger was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Dwarsligger based?
Dwarsligger is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Dwarsligger make money?
One revenue line is on record: book sales (one-time purchase).
Who are Dwarsligger's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Prometheus, Atlas Contact, Meulenhoff, De Bezige Bij, Karakter Uitgevers and Lannoo. Storytel is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Phaidon Press and Penguin Random House Netherlands. Running Press is listed as a direct peer.
Does Dwarsligger have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dwarsligger.
What industry is Dwarsligger in?
Dwarsligger's product category is Compact Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAB, Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAJAAAD, Mass Market & Paperback Publishing. Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.