Tanum A/S
Norway's largest publishing house (approximately 320 employees), publishing fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and curriculum-aligned educational materials through physical and digital channels including Unibok, Skolen, and Disko, with book clubs, a literary agency, and wholly-owned distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tanum A/S does
Cappelen Damm AS is Norway's largest publishing house, headquartered at Stortingsgata 28, Oslo, and wholly owned by the Egmont media group foundation. The company employs approximately 320 people and operates across five core business lines: general publishing (fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and series novels under the main brand plus Flamme Forlag and Fontini Forlag imprints); the Cappelen Damm Utdanning education division developing curriculum-aligned materials for kindergarten through upper secondary school and adult Norwegian-as-second-language learners; Cappelen Damm Akademisk for higher education and vocational textbooks; subscription book clubs (Bestselgerklubben, Barnas egen bokverden, Krimklubben, Norske serier); and a literary agency representing Norwegian authors internationally. The catalog spans more than 65,727 titles.
The technology stack is built around standard publishing and commerce infrastructure rather than proprietary platforms. Content is managed through Sanity CMS, with product catalog and order history handled by Crystallize. Identity is managed via Clerk and Feide (Norway's federated education identity), payments through Nets and Vipps, and customer service via Microsoft and Dixa. The proprietary digital platforms — Unibok (digital textbooks with text-to-speech and integrated bilingual Bokmål/Nynorsk dictionaries), Skolen (grades 1-10 curriculum content), and Disko (upper secondary streaming) — serve as the company's main technology differentiators in the education market. Physical distribution is handled by wholly-owned Sentraldistribusjonen AS, and digital audio/e-book distribution is supported through co-ownership of Storytel AS.
Revenue is generated through five streams: one-time physical book sales across own e-commerce, the Elling bokkafé physical bookstore, and major Norwegian retail chains (Norli, Ark); recurring digital subscriptions including Unibok annual licenses and four book club concepts; educational materials sold to schools and adult education institutions via a regional Key Account Manager sales force; literary rights and licensing via the Cappelen Damm Agency; and royalties from authors' works. Pricing on physical books ranges from 109 NOK for primary-school reading books to 829 NOK for upper secondary textbooks, with free shipping on orders over 349 NOK. The company does not publicly disclose consolidated revenue. Beyond publishing, the company also owns VAR Healthcare (digital health services), indicating selective vertical expansion into adjacent information-service markets under the Egmont Foundation's social mission umbrella.
Tanum A/S firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tanum A/S
- Legal name
- Cappelen Damm AS
- Website
- https://tanumbokhandel.no
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Norway's largest publishing house (approximately 320 employees), publishing fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and curriculum-aligned educational materials through physical and digital channels including Unibok, Skolen, and Disko, with book clubs, a literary agency, and wholly-owned distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tanum A/S industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bookstore Retail
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Book Publishers (51313), Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers (424920), Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- E-book Subscription & Bundling Services (MPAJAMAB), Educational & Academic Publishing Distribution (Textbooks) (CRAOALAC), International Rights, Export & Cross-Border Distribution (MPAJAKAI), Book Trade Wholesale (Print Books) (CRAOALAA)
Keywords
Where Tanum A/S is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Tanum A/S business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Physical Book Sales: Sale of physical books including fiction, non-fiction, children's books, educational textbooks, and series novels through owned e-commerce, physical bookstore, and retail partners
- Digital Products: E-books and digital textbooks (Unibok) sold as annual licenses, audiobooks, and digital learning resources for Norwegian language learning (Norsk som andrespråk) and educational platforms
- Book Club Subscriptions: Subscription-based book clubs including Bestselgerklubben (Bestseller Club), Barnas egen bokverden (Children's Own Book World), Krimklubben (Crime Club), and Norske serier (Norwegian Series) offering regular curated book deliveries
- Educational Materials: Sales of textbooks and educational resources to Norwegian schools, kindergartens, and adult education institutions through dedicated sales team and evaluation programs
- Rights and Licensing: Literary rights management through Cappelen Damm Agency, licensing of publication rights, and royalties for authors
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reading Universe English Level 1-3 books priced at 109 NOK per unit |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Series novels (serieromaner) priced at 129 NOK for paperback editions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Norwegian series novels by authors like Synnøve Eriksen available in multiple formats |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Upper secondary textbooks (Norsk SF vg1-vg3 series) priced at 829 NOK |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Voks Norwegian as Second Language textbook series for adult immigrants |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free shipping on orders over 349 NOK |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
Tanum A/S product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tanum A/S operates as a Norwegian bookstore, part of the Egmont media group's publishing and retail ecosystem. The aggregated source content describes it in conjunction with Norway's largest publishing house operations, selling physical and digital books, educational materials, and digital learning resources through owned e-commerce, physical retail, bookstore chain partnerships, and book club subscriptions to Norwegian consumers and educational institutions.
Product overview
Cappelen Damm is Norway's largest publishing house (approximately 320 employees), operating as a multi-platform publisher with both physical and digital products. The core publishing business includes fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and series novels under the main brand plus Flamme Forlag and Fontini Forlag imprints. The education division (Cappelen Damm Utdanning) develops learning materials across all Norwegian educational levels from kindergarten through upper secondary, available in both physical and digital formats. Digital products include the Skolen platform (grades 1-10), Disko streaming (upper secondary), and Unibok digital textbooks with integrated dictionaries and text-to-speech. Named learning resource series include Norsk SF (2025-2027), Sinus mathematics, Leseunivers Engelsk English reading series, and Voks Norwegian for adults (A1-B1). The company also operates book clubs, a literary agency, retail bookstores, and owns the digital healthcare service VAR Healthcare.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VAR Healthcare: Digital health services platform
- Cappelen Damm Bokklubber
- Fontini forlag
- Flamme forlag
- Elling bokkafé
Products and services
- Fiction, non-fiction, and children's book catalog Catalog of books across fiction, non-fiction, children's books, series novels, and lifestyle categories, distributed to general Norwegian readers via owned e-commerce and bookstore channels.
- Cappelen Damm Utdanning educational materials Educational division developing digital and analog learning materials for the entire Norwegian educational pathway from kindergarten through upper secondary school, aligned with the LK20 curriculum.
- Cappelen Damm Akademisk Academic textbooks and professional literature for higher education and vocational schools in Norway.
- Skolen fra Cappelen Damm Digital learning platform for Norwegian primary school students and teachers in grades 1-10, providing educational content aligned with the Norwegian LK20 curriculum.
- Disko Streaming Platform Streaming service for upper secondary school providing digital educational video content and supplementary resources.
- Unibok Digital Textbook Platform Digital textbook platform integrating digital textbooks with bilingual Bokmål and Nynorsk dictionaries, text-to-speech, note-taking, and highlighting features, offered as annual licenses.
- Norsk SF (2025–2027) textbook series Comprehensive Norwegian language textbook series for study preparation programs at vg1, vg2, and vg3 levels, with student editions, teacher editions, Unibok digital versions, and supplementary resources on Disko.
- Sinus mathematics textbook series Mathematics textbook series for upper secondary school, including Sinus SF/YF and coSinus Digital versions for VG1-VG3.
- Leseunivers Engelsk English reading series English reading series for Norwegian primary schools (grades 1-7), with 5 reading levels supporting systematic English language progression, including Easy Reader-style books.
- Voks – Norwegian for Adults Norwegian language textbook series for adult immigrants with prior schooling, covering A1-B1 levels (with A2 also referenced) of the Common European Framework of Reference, with Textbok, Arbeidsbok, and digital Unibok versions.
- Cappelen Damm Agency Literary agency representing Norwegian authors internationally, handling rights sales and international publishing partnerships.
- Cappelen Damm bokklubber (book clubs) Subscription-based book clubs covering bestsellers, children's books, crime fiction, and Norwegian series, with curated regular deliveries.
- Norske Serier subscription service Subscription service for Norwegian series novels, offering ongoing series subscriptions including titles such as Vintervik and Utvalgt av gudene.
- Elling bokkafé bookstore Company-owned physical bookstore located at Stortingsgata 28 in Oslo, serving as both retail outlet and venue for author events and literary gatherings.
- VAR Healthcare digital service Digital healthcare service providing healthcare-related digital content for healthcare professionals.
- Sentraldistribusjonen AS distribution services Central distribution company handling packing and invoicing of physical book goods for distribution across Norway.
Quantifiable outcome
- Norway's largest publishing house with 65,727+ titles in catalog
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tanum A/S
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tanum A/S technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Tanum A/S partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sentraldistribusjonen AScoreOwned by Cappelen Damm, Sentraldistribusjonen AS handles packing and invoicing of physical goods for distribution across Norway.
- Storytel AScoreCappelen Damm is co-owner of Storytel AS, Norway's leading audiobook and e-book streaming service. This partnership provides digital distribution channel for Cappelen Damm's digital catalog.
- VAR HealthcarecoreCappelen Damm owns the digital health service VAR Healthcare, providing healthcare-related educational content.
- Cappelen Damm BokklubbercoreOwned by Cappelen Damm, the book club operation manages Bestselgerklubben, Barnas egen bokverden, Krimklubben, and Norske serier subscriptions.
- Flamme ForlagminorOwned by Cappelen Damm, Flamme Forlag is a publishing imprint.
- Fontini ForlagminorOwned by Cappelen Damm, Fontini Forlag is a publishing imprint.
- Allvit ASminorCappelen Damm is co-owner of Allvit AS.
- KopinorcoreCappelen Damm has an agreement with Kopinor, which facilitates legal sharing of knowledge and information both digitally and on paper. The agreement ensures that creators of culture and knowledge are compensated.
- Gutta CampusminorCharitable partnership in Norway supporting children and youth education and opportunities.
- Norske Kvinners SanitetsforeningminorCharitable partnership supporting women's health initiatives and children's welfare in Norway.
- Kronprinsparets FondminorCharitable foundation partnership supporting children and youth causes in Norway.
- Røde Kors (Norwegian Red Cross)minorCharitable partnership supporting humanitarian efforts and children's welfare.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tanum A/S competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bonnier Books: Large Scandinavian media and publishing group operating across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Comparable as a regional incumbent with overlapping trade and educational publishing plus digital audiobook initiatives.
- Pearson plc: Global education and learning content company with curriculum-aligned digital and print materials plus assessment. Comparable as a benchmark for digital education platforms, curriculum integration, and K-12/higher-ed publishing models that Cappelen Damm Utdanning pursues in Norway.
- Scholastic Corporation: Major children's books and educational publisher known for school book fairs and curriculum-aligned reading programs. Comparable as a model for combining children's trade publishing with school-channel distribution and reading-level series like Cappelen Damm's Leseunivers.
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons): Global academic and professional publisher with strong higher-education textbook portfolio. Comparable as a benchmark for Cappelen Damm Akademisk's academic and professional publishing operations serving Norwegian universities and vocational schools.
- Penguin Random House: World's largest trade publisher with extensive fiction, non-fiction, and children's catalogs. Comparable as the dominant global incumbent whose scale, author relationships, and translation reach set the competitive benchmark Cappelen Damm operates against in Norway.
- HarperCollins Publishers: Global trade publisher across general fiction, non-fiction, and children's books. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose translated titles compete with Cappelen Damm's Norwegian-language catalog in the Norwegian market.
Emerging players
- Storytel AB: Leading Nordic audiobook and e-book subscription streaming service, in which Cappelen Damm is a co-owner. Comparable as the dominant subscription audio/e-book platform Cappelen Damm both uses as a distribution channel and competes against for reader attention.
Direct peers
- Aschehoug Forlag: Major Norwegian publisher with parallel trade, education, and academic publishing operations, including H. Aschehoug & Co and its school division. Directly comparable in market segments, distribution, and curriculum-aligned education business.
- Gyldendal Norsk Forlag: Norway's second-largest general trade and educational publisher, directly comparable to Cappelen Damm across fiction, children's books, and curriculum-aligned textbooks. Operates its own imprints and competes head-to-head in Norwegian schools, bookstores, and digital platforms.
- Vigmostad & Bjørke: Mid-sized Norwegian publisher active in trade, academic, and educational publishing. Comparable as a Norwegian-based competitor serving the same bookstore chains, schools, and curriculum markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tanum A/S social profiles
Digital presenceTanum A/S compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Tanum A/S financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tanum A/S leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Tanum A/S subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Tanum A/S funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tanum A/S 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 Tanum A/S
What does Tanum A/S do?
Tanum A/S operates as a Norwegian bookstore, part of the Egmont media group's publishing and retail ecosystem. The aggregated source content describes it in conjunction with Norway's largest publishing house operations, selling physical and digital books, educational materials, and digital learning resources through owned e-commerce, physical retail, bookstore chain partnerships, and book club subscriptions to Norwegian consumers and educational institutions.
Is Tanum A/S a public or private company?
Tanum A/S is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tanum A/S founded?
Tanum A/S was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tanum A/S based?
Tanum A/S is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Tanum A/S make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Physical Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Products, book Club Subscriptions, educational Materials and rights and Licensing.
Who are Tanum A/S's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bonnier Books, Pearson plc, Scholastic Corporation, Wiley (John Wiley & Sons), Penguin Random House and HarperCollins Publishers. Storytel AB is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Aschehoug Forlag, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag and Vigmostad & Bjørke.
Does Tanum A/S have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tanum A/S.
What industry is Tanum A/S in?
Tanum A/S's product category is Bookstore Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAA, General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction), with a secondary code of MPAJAMAB, E-book Subscription & Bundling Services. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.