druckhaus köthen GmbH & Co. KG

What druckhaus köthen GmbH & Co. KG does

druckhaus köthen GmbH & Co. KG is a German specialty printing company founded in 1869 and headquartered at Wallstraße 64, Köthen (Anhalt), operating as a private limited partnership (GmbH & Co. KG) with three managing directors (Sebastian Koch, Alexander Mende, Dr. Till Tolkemitt). The company produces books, art books, and trade journals for publishers, museums, professional associations, and industrial clients, running both digital printing for runs from a single copy and Heidelberg sheet-fed offset printing up to 75 x 105 cm for larger volumes; it was the first sheet-fed offset printer in the new German federal states to certify under ProcessStandard Offsetdruck (DIN ISO 12647-2) and supports both PSO-coated_v3 and PSO-uncoated_v3_fogra52 color profiles.

The core service stack comprises Verlagsherstellung (full-service publishing production), Bildbearbeitung (image processing), Layout (creative design), Digitaldruck and Offsetdruck, and Buchbinderei coordinated through partner bookbinderies. Supporting tooling includes the Print Navigator closed webshop for repeat-order configuration, the Verlagsrechner suite of online calculators for paper/spine/weight estimation, a technical glossary (Fachlexikon), and Datentipps data-preparation guidelines specifying PDF/X-4, 300 ppi resolution, and 3 mm bleed. The company is operationally embedded within the Printfamily group of ten interconnected printing companies with 700+ employees, which provides cross-capacity and group-level marketing reach.

The business model is project-based, quote-driven, and relationship-led: customers engage through direct sales consultation, dedicated account managers, email inquiry, and the Print Navigator webshop, with multi-year contractual cadence and shipping fulfilled through DHL, UPS, and DPD. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, the company is privately held within the Printfamily conglomerate structure, and there are no recorded funding rounds, acquisitions, or AI/ML capabilities.

Name

druckhaus köthen GmbH & Co. KG

Legal name

druckhaus köthen GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://koethen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1869

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

druckhaus köthen is a German specialty book printer founded in 1869, producing hardcover/softcover books, art books, and trade journals for publishers, museums, associations, and industrial clients through Heidelberg offset and digital printing, operating as part of the Printfamily group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Printing

NAICS

Books Printing (323117), Printing and Related Support Activities (3231), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Book Printing (2732), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Book Print-on-Demand (Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hardcover & Premium Editions Publishing (MPAJAAAE), Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Book printing services
• Offset printing
• Digital printing
• Publishing production
• Commercial printing

Headquarters

HQ city

Köthen (Anhalt)

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Production: Production of hardcover and softcover books, glue-bound and sewn, starting from single copy (digital print) to several thousand copies (offset print)
2. Art Book Production: High-quality art book production with premium finishing options including UV varnish, embossing, die-cutting
3. Trade Journal Production: Production of professional/trade journals for publishers with cross-media publishing capabilities
4. Digital Printing: Short-run digital printing suitable for test editions, review copies, trade show samples, small runs, and reprints
5. Offset Printing: Sheet-fed offset printing with Heidelberg machines for larger print runs
6. Layout and Image Processing: Creative layout services for books, journals, brochures, flyers, calendars; professional image editing and preparation
7. Bookbinding: Bookbinding through specialized partner companies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

druckhaus köthen manufactures hardcover and softcover books, art books, and trade journals, ranging from single-copy digital prints to several-thousand-copy offset print runs. It offers end-to-end publishing production services including creative layout, professional image processing, offset and digital printing on Heidelberg presses, and bookbinding via specialized partner bookbinderies. The company has specialized in book production since 1869 and serves publishers, museums, associations, and industrial customers primarily in Germany.

Product overview

druckhaus köthen GmbH & Co. KG is a specialized printing and publishing production company operating since 1869, producing books, art books, and trade journals for publishers. The company offers an integrated suite of services built around its core printing capabilities: Digitaldruck for short runs (from 1 copy), Offsetdruck for larger volumes using Heidelberg sheet-fed presses, Bildbearbeitung for professional image preparation, Layout for creative design, and Buchbinderei through specialized partner bookbinderies. Verlagsherstellung (publishing production) serves as the umbrella service coordinating all these capabilities. Supporting tools include the Print Navigator closed webshop system for customer product ordering, Verlagsrechner online calculators for production planning, Fachlexikon glossary, and Datentipps technical guidelines. The company is part of the Printfamily group of ten interconnected printing companies. Print runs range from single-copy digital printing to thousands via offset, with binding options including adhesive binding (Klebebindung) and thread sewing (Fadenheftung).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bücher (Books) Production of hardcover and softcover books, adhesive-bound and thread-sewn, from 1 copy (digital print) to several thousand copies (offset print). Includes finishing options such as bookmark ribbons, embossings, flap brochures, and die-cutting, plus optional image processing and layout services.
• Kunstbücher (Art Books) High-quality art book production with premium finishing options such as UV varnish, embossing, and die-cutting, including the ability to vary formats and paper types within a single book.
• Fachzeitschriften (Trade Journals) Production of professional and trade journals for publishers, with cross-media publishing capabilities, image editing, layout, printing, and individual subscriber mailings from a single source.
• Digitaldruck (Digital Printing) Digital printing for short runs from one copy, personalized printing, test editions, review copies, trade fair samples, small runs, and reprints, providing cost-effective production without printing plates.
• Offsetdruck (Offset Printing) Sheet-fed offset printing on Heidelberg presses up to 75 x 105 cm format, economical for larger print runs and certified under ProcessStandard Offsetdruck (DIN ISO 12647-2).
• Verlagsherstellung (Publishing Production) End-to-end full-service publishing production for books and journals, encompassing all stages from concept consultation through final printed product delivery, including coordination with partner bookbinderies.
• Bildbearbeitung (Image Processing) Professional image editing and print-technical preparation including depth/highlight adjustments, tonal value corrections, sharpening, retouching, and masking for optimal print quality.
• Layout Creative layout design for books, journals, brochures, flyers, calendars, and handouts, from CI-compliant execution to entirely new design concepts, including creation of interactive PDFs with dynamic functions and web links.
• Buchbinderei (Bookbinding) Bookbinding through specialized partner bookbinderies offering thread sewing (Fadenheftung), adhesive binding (Klebebindung), Swiss brochure binding, and finishing options including edge staining, bookmark ribbons, and cover treatments.

Quantifiable outcome

• First Bogenoffsetdruckerei in new federal states to introduce ProcessStandard Offsetdruck

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PrintfamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Printfamily, one of Germany's leading printing groups consisting of 10 interconnected companies each specializing in specific products and manufacturing processes. The group offers the largest range of services from a single source with 700+ employees and modern machinery. Customers benefit from a personal contact with access to the entire group's capabilities.
• DHLminorOthersShipping and logistics partner for delivering print products to customers
• UPSminorOthersShipping and logistics partner for delivering print products to customers
• DPDminorOthersShipping and logistics partner for delivering print products to customers
• Print NavigatorcoreTechnology or IntegrationClosed Webshop system of Printfamily for customers to configure and order their print products in their own layout, individually configurable and easy to use with full price transparency

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Kösel GmbH: German bookbinder and book production specialist offering hardcover binding, thread sewing, and specialty finishing. Comparable as a specialist book production peer operating in the German market with similar finishing capabilities.
• Clausen & Bosse (C&B): German book printing company specializing in hardcover and paperback book production. Directly comparable as a domestic book printing peer with similar product mix serving German publishers.
• CPI (formerly Clays / Williams Lea): One of the largest book printers globally with major operations in the UK and internationally. Directly comparable as a book printing specialist serving publishers with hardcover, paperback, and trade book capabilities across print runs of varying sizes.
• Eberl & Co. German book printing company with book and periodical production capabilities. Comparable as a German-based book printing peer serving publishers and trade journal customers with similar offset and digital capabilities.
• Optimal Media: German book and media manufacturer producing hardcover, softcover, and specialty print products. Directly comparable to druckhaus köthen as a German-based book printer serving publishers with similar hard- and softcover capabilities.

Regional players

• Linsen Druck: Regional German printing company offering book, brochure, and commercial print services. Comparable as a regional German printing peer serving similar mid-market publisher and association customers.
• Möller Druck: German printing company offering book and commercial print production. Comparable as a regional German printing peer, though with a broader commercial printing focus than druckhaus köthen's book specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Bertelsmann Printing Group (Mohn Media): Major German printing group offering books, magazines, and commercial print at large scale. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the German book and periodical printing market, though operating across a much wider portfolio than druckhaus köthen's specialist focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/druckhaus-k%C3%B6then-gmbh-&-co-kg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 druckhaus köthen GmbH & Co. KG