Busy or Productive? Efficiency as a Matter of Survival
Many printing companies appear efficient and well utilized from the outside. However, in my consulting projects over the past few months, it has repeatedly become clear that this impression is often misleading. Despite a high level of commitment, a significant share of working time is absorbed by coordination, follow-up questions, or manual intermediate steps. In […]
Will My Print Company Still Exist in Five Years?
This is a question many business owners in the German printing industry are currently asking themselves. Perhaps after a difficult customer conversation, or when the next energy bill lands on their desk. The truth is this: the industry is undergoing structural change. And structural change always brings uncertainty, but also opportunity. The German Printing Industry […]
Everyone Talks About the Skills Shortage. Hardly Anyone Talks About Workforce Strategy.
Many companies are currently reporting that they are scaling back recruitment efforts or postponing new hires. At the same time, the shortage of skilled professionals remains high. At first glance, this may seem contradictory, but a closer look reveals why it is not. Recent figures from the BVDM paint a clear picture: ▪️ 56% of […]
Modern Sales: Structured, Strategic, and Transparent
Modern sales is clearly structured, strategically oriented, and transparently represented.Like any other profession, sales is defined by the context of its time. There were eras in which modern customer acquisition required an entire team of field representatives visiting clients in person, covering countless kilometers along the way. From that period also stems the idea of […]
Top Leaders Don’t Apply. They Get Found.
Why Headhunters Are Essential in an Increasingly Competitive Talent Market In times of skilled labor shortages, talent acquisition becomes a strategic challenge. Many companies now view the lack of qualified professionals and executives as the greatest business risk of the future, responding with higher salaries or enhanced benefits. But one crucial question often remains unanswered: […]
Digitalization Without Strategy? An Expensive Dead End for Printing Companies!
Digitalization has long reached the printing industry. Whether it’s automating production processes, implementing web-to-print portals, intelligent warehouse logistics, or AI-driven data analytics, many companies are already making significant investments. While state-of-the-art machines and software solutions are being introduced, however, many businesses are missing the key element: a clear digital strategy. And this is where the […]
Client vs. Customer: A Subtle but Important Difference!
In our daily lives, we often encounter the terms “customer” and “client,” and we typically use them interchangeably. However, there is a significant difference between the two, which plays a crucial role, especially in consulting. While a customer has a more transactional relationship with a company or brand, a client often involves a long-term, trust-based, […]
There’s No Wrong Time to Exchange Ideas with Industry Experts
Anyone reading our current forecast for the development of the printing industry in 2025 will quickly understand: 2025 will not be the year of economic recovery (Click here for the white paper). It’s a time to consolidate resources – perhaps even tighten the belt. Definitely no time for strategy consultants, you might think. We see […]
When the Bank Suddenly Cuts the Overdraft Line
In recent months, Apenberg & Partner has observed a growing trend: More and more corporate clients are having their overdraft lines terminated by their banks. This move has far-reaching consequences for many companies, particularly in economically challenging times. Background of the Development Banks are legally required to hedge both balance sheet and market risks proportionally […]
Transformation Concept Integrated Print Factory (IPF)
The past has shown it time and again. Veritable industry crises are not only catastrophes for the printing industry, but also always spurs for extraordinary innovations. When the internet presumed to substitute digital solutions for everything printed, printers invented online printers. In less than 20 years, this species of company has managed to generate 15 […]
Opportunities of digitalisation in packaging printing – a stocktaking
Digital packaging printing is becoming a decisive factor in the marketing and production workflow. For a successful business, however, not only internal but also external know-how is required. Digital printing entered Gutenberg’s world more than 20 years ago. Because of the diversity in terms of material, application and customer requirements, this happened later in the […]
Purchasing – a declaration of war on one’s own life
In many companies, procurement ekes out a shadowy existence, works separately from the other teams or does not even exist in a professional form. Yet it is undisputed that procurement professionals contribute a large share to profits. So what are the right levers? Profit lies in procurement. This old business rule has lost none of […]