Publications

Apenberg & Partner regularly publishes studies, white papers, and practical tools on current topics in the printing industry. You will also find handouts from presentations given by our consultants on these subjects. Most papers can be downloaded free of charge, while a few studies and white papers are available for a fee. We will indicate these cases separately. In such instances, please use the provided email link to place your order.

If you prefer not to download our files, we are happy to send them to you by mail or email. Please feel free to reach out to us regarding this.

2. Management Survey on Digital Transformation

Digitalization and automation have made significant progress; however, decisions are still too rarely made based on data and trust in that data.

21. Print Business Autumn Forecast

The printing and graphic supply industry is looking more optimistically toward the new year than last year, with 30% expecting increased results.

Is the Advertising Brochure Becoming Extinct? A White Paper

Obi and Rewe have announced their decision to discontinue printed advertising brochures. There has been much discussion about this, but what impacts can be expected?

Industry Analysis on the Skills Shortage:

Everyone complains, but no one takes action. Increasingly, vacancies and training positions remain unfilled, while employee retention appears to be high.

20. Print Business Autumn Forecast

Companies across all industries are looking more pessimistically toward the future in 2022 compared to the previous year. Reasons for this include the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising paper prices, and the energy crisis.

Study: Digital Transformation in the Printing Industry

How is digital transformation progressing in the printing industry? Extremely slowly, according to the findings of this year’s industry survey by Apenberg & Partner.

 

19. Print Business Autumn Forecast

Almost all respondents are facing rising supplier prices but are looking more positively toward the new year compared to the last survey.

Our Customer Magazine: Printkompress N.05

Hybrid Sales and M&A in Print Media, Succession in Family Businesses, Robotics and Their Transformation.

Survey Results: Industry Software in the Printing Industry

Although a large portion of the surveyed companies has been using industry software for more than ten years, only 26% are fully satisfied.

18. Print Business Autumn Forecast

Only one-fifth of respondents expect a positive market development in 2021, while just over half (51%) anticipate further deterioration.

Our Customer Magazine Printkompress N.04

Women in Leadership in the Printing Industry: Three Successful Managers Discuss How to Make the Industry More Attractive for Women.

17. Print Business Autumn Forfecast

For the first time, it was possible to make a reliable statement about the effect of company size: Small companies are clearly at a disadvantage.

Printkompress N.03

In Europe, printed products worth €49 billion are currently being produced. To find out which nations dominate this market and how the European production volume is distributed across product groups, see pages 6 and 7.

Typically, printing companies supply packaging for the consumer goods industry. However, Philip Morris International has developed a hybrid digital printing machine to produce packaging for its “smokeless” tobacco products in-house. You can learn more about this on page 14.

The printing industry has long struggled with various prejudices. Contrary to its mediocre reputation, a third of companies are actually making good profits. However, the next wave of consolidation is already on the horizon. On pages 22 to 29, the team at Apenberg & Partner outlines the challenges facing the industry.

HR Survey: Young Talents want to be courted.

At the beginning of the 2019 training year, Apenberg & Partner initiated an HR survey to understand the priority given to young talent in the personnel policies of companies. Were actions implemented to attract apprentices to their organizations, and if so, which of these were successful? What criteria ultimately influence young talent’s decision to pursue a career in the printing industry? And last but not least, how does the printing industry plan to present itself as an attractive employer in the future?

The survey is available for free download.

16. Print Business Autumn Forecast 2019

The autumn survey by Apenberg & Partner is one of the most significant top management surveys in the printing industry, print media, publishing, and packaging printing. A total of 173 companies (previous year: 292) responded to our request and participated in the survey. Thank you!

The study is available for free download.

Printkompress N. 02

The excitement around digitalization has given way to the realization that print and digital components can be harmoniously integrated. Publishers around the world have been utilizing this insight for years in their content marketing business models. To learn about the potential of blockchain in this area, see page 50.

With the Packaging Act that came into effect in January 2019, Germany aims to make a statement against the growing mountains of waste. Experts discuss the new regulations and penalties for producers, retailers, and consumers on page 12. In the coming weeks, Apenberg & Partner will share regular blog posts on sustainable packaging innovations already available on the market.

What bees and printers have in common is revealed by our editorial team on pages 8 and following, and from page 32, we delve into reports on consulting, M&A, and human resources.

$2.695 Billion – The Underrated Printing Market!

When discussing the future of the printing industry, the focus is often on the declining circulation numbers of newspapers and magazines. However, it is frequently overlooked that the market for graphic communication is approximately $700 billion globally, with an additional $400 billion for printed packaging. Moreover, printing technologies are employed in industrial settings with a market value of around $500 billion, as shown in the graphic on the right.

The increasingly interconnected segmented printing markets were convincingly demonstrated by the German Karl Knauer Group in collaboration with Inuru GmbH from Berlin. They introduced the world’s first luminous packaging featuring printed flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In the future, this technology will allow packaging, displays, POS materials, promotional items, and bottle labels to feature glowing, animated images or logos.

According to current findings, this technology is sustainable, recyclable, and can be disposed of in compliance with legal requirements.

15. Print Business Autumn Forecast 2018

The autumn survey by Apenberg & Partner is one of the most significant top management surveys in the printing industry, print media, publishing, packaging, and industrial printing. A total of 292 companies (previous year: 235) responded to our request and participated in the survey. Ninety-three percent of the questionnaires were completed by executives and managing directors. Thank you!

The study is available for free download.

Printkompress N.01

There’s a good reason we revived the “Printkompress” brand in print form this year. While the digitalization of business models knows no bounds and is also shaking up the printing industry, it is a myth to believe that the future belongs solely to online. The truth is that excellent print products continue to thrive—and that print and digital can now be intelligently interconnected.

In the first edition of Printkompress, we bring you up to date and feature strong voices from the print industry. For example, Dr. Jonas Haentjes, CEO of Edel AG, which still generates revenue today from books, vinyl records, and CDs. Or Arno Lindemann, co-owner of the Hamburg advertising agency Lukas Lindemann Rosinski, who believes that a farewell to print is entirely misguided. In the following pages, we provide useful tips on how to smoothly navigate digital transformation with the help of external consultants.

Printing Press Manufacturers Under Stress Test

The Hamburg-based consulting firm Apenberg & Partner has conducted a comprehensive industry survey to assess the future outlook of Germany’s printing service providers for manufacturers of offset and digital printing presses. Almost all manufacturers received positive evaluations.

You can request the detailed results report free of charge. Please send us an email at: welcome@apenberg.de

The study/report and all its parts are protected by copyright. Any use beyond the narrow confines of copyright law is prohibited and punishable without the consent of Apenberg & Partner. This applies particularly to reproductions, translations, microfilming, and storage and processing in electronic systems.

PRINT GOES DIGITAL 2.0

How well are printing companies and publishers positioned regarding digital competence today, and how satisfied are industry representatives with the digital skills of their employees? These and other questions were posed by Apenberg & Partner in the spring of 2017 to the German-speaking printing and publishing industry in an online survey titled “Print goes Digital 2.0: An Assessment of Digital Competence in the Printing Industry and Publishing Sector 2017.” A total of 95 executives and HR decision-makers responded. Thank you!

You can request the detailed results report free of charge. The study and all its parts are protected by copyright. Any use beyond the narrow confines of copyright law is prohibited and punishable without the consent of Apenberg & Partner. This applies particularly to reproductions, translations, microfilming, and storage and processing in electronic systems.

The study is available for free download.

14. Print Business Autumn Forecast 2017

The autumn survey by Apenberg & Partner is one of the most significant top management surveys in the industry for publishers and printing companies. A total of 235 companies (previous year: 203) responded to our request and participated in the survey. Ninety-three percent of the questionnaires were completed by executives and managing directors. Thank you!

You can order the study for a fee of €50.00 (plus 19% VAT). The study and all its parts are protected by copyright. Any use beyond the narrow confines of copyright law is prohibited and punishable without the consent of Apenberg & Partner. This applies particularly to reproductions, translations, microfilming, and storage and processing in electronic systems.

The study is available for free download.

Wir stellen uns vor – Unternehmensdarstellung 2016

Unsere Broschüre informiert Sie komprimiert und übersichtlich über die Beratungsleistungen von Apenberg & Partner.

Company Presentation 2016

With a team of print business consultants, we provide support in the areas of strategic realignment, reorganization and restructuring, and corporate sales, as well as in the direct search for managerial and specialist personnel.

We help you find the right ones among many good options.

Apenberg & Partner is among the leading industry-focused recruitment consultants. We have numerous direct industry contacts and have built a complex network over the past 27 years.

Our brochure provides a concise and clear overview of our “Executive Search” services and highlights several project examples from our consulting work in recent months.

13. Print Autumn Forecast 2016

In the 13th year of the survey, 203 companies (previous year: 304) responded to our invitation to participate. Ninety-six percent of all returned questionnaires were completed by executives and managing directors, while 4 percent came from other areas. With 128 companies, the ‘traditional’ printing industry again formed the largest participant group, followed by graphic suppliers with 46 participating companies. The packaging printing group also had 29 participants, allowing it to be represented as a distinct sector, differentiated by product groups such as labels and folding boxes. For the first time, an analysis of publishers was not conducted due to low participation.

The study is available for free download.

12. Print Autumn Forecast 2015

Managers in the Printing Industry Optimistic. Digital Printers Show Highest Willingness to Invest. The autumn forecast by Apenberg & Partner is one of the most significant top management surveys in the industry for printing companies, packaging printing, and publishers. In the 12th year of the survey, 304 companies (previous year: 413) responded to the call to participate in the study. This time, 800 printing companies, 200 packaging printers, 400 publishers, and 150 companies from the graphic supply industry were contacted. Participants in the survey will receive the results free of charge.

11. Print Autumn Forecast 2014

The Print Autumn Forecast by Apenberg & Partner is one of the most significant top management surveys in the industry for publishers and printing companies. A total of 413 companies (previous year: 445) responded to our request to participate in the survey. Thank you! Executives from a total of 400 publishers, 600 printing companies, and 150 companies in the graphic supply industry were contacted. Ninety-five percent of the questionnaires were completed by executives and managing directors, while 5 percent came from other areas.

The study is available for free download.

10. Print Autumn Forecast 2013

The autumn survey by Apenberg & Partner is one of the most significant top management surveys in the industry for publishers and printing companies. A total of 445 companies (previous year: 460) responded to our request to participate in the survey. Thank you! Executives from 400 publishers, 600 printing companies, and 150 companies in the graphic supply industry were contacted. Ninety-six percent of the questionnaires were completed by executives and managing directors, while 4 percent came from other areas.

The study is available for free download.

9. Print Autumn Forecast 2012

The autumn forecast by Apenberg & Partner is one of the significant top management surveys in the industry for publishers and printing companies. A total of 460 companies responded to our request to participate in the survey. Thank you! This year’s participation remains consistently high, with 460 companies (previous year: 458) from the industry. Executives from 400 publishers, 600 printing companies, and 150 companies in the graphic supply industry were contacted. Ninety-five percent of the questionnaires were completed by executives and managing directors, while 5 percent came from other areas.

The study is available for free download.

Print Autumn Forecast 2011

The autumn forecast by Apenberg & Partner is one of the significant top management surveys in the industry for publishers and printing companies. A total of 458 companies responded to our request to participate in the survey. Thank you! This year, participation has once again reached a new high (previous year: 425). Executives from 400 publishers, 600 printing companies, and 150 companies in the graphic supply industry were contacted. The response rate was 40 percent, with 96 percent of the questionnaires completed by executives and managing directors, while 4 percent came from other areas.

Print Autumn-Forecast 2010

The autumn forecast by Apenberg & Partner is one of the significant top management surveys in the industry for publishers and printing companies. A total of 425 companies responded to our request to participate in the survey. Thank you! This year, participation has reached a new high (previous year: 350 companies). Executives from 400 publishers, 600 printing companies, and 150 companies in the graphic supply industry were contacted. The response rate was 37 percent, with 96 percent of the questionnaires completed by executives and managing directors, while 4 percent came from other areas.

PRINT | SERVICE | REPORT | 2013

This year, the study “Print | Service | Report” was conducted to assess customer satisfaction with the services of manufacturers in the graphic industry in Germany. Thanks to the comparison values from 2011, this marks the second time we can evaluate the development of service quality for individual manufacturers. More than 200 top decision-makers participated in the study and provided their evaluations in the following areas: CTP, digital printing systems, offset printing presses (roll and sheet), perfect binders, folding machines, and cutting machines.

The study is aimed at service managers in the graphic industry. Organized by industry segments and printing technologies, it provides valuable insights into improvement potentials in service and allows for direct comparison with competitors. We offer the study in German for the price of €250.00 (plus 19% VAT). Please order via email here.

PrintgoesDigital Report

How should traditional print media companies structure their personnel if they want to successfully expand their digital business? Apenberg & Partner explored this question in November 2012 through an online survey of executives and HR decision-makers in the German publishing industry regarding their staffing needs for 2012. At the same time, an analysis of current job postings in the industry was conducted, sourced from well-known online platforms.

The results of this status quo measurement align with the general staffing needs in the digital economy, as identified in other recent studies: the demand for digital experts spans all levels of publishing. The number of open new media positions in various departments is proportional to the overall vacancy landscape within these media companies. The greatest demand exists in traditional areas such as advertising sales and media consulting, marketing and communication, as well as editorial roles. This demand is reflected in the required online and new media skills. Detailed results with illustrative graphics and a salary report for the mentioned vacancies can be found on the following pages.

PRINT | SERVICE | REPORT | 2011

From January 24, 2011, to February 25, 2011, Apenberg & Partner surveyed 197 decision-makers from production companies in the German printing industry. The survey was conducted at the repeated request of Apenberg & Partner’s clients and aimed to evaluate the service offerings of manufacturers from the perspective of their customers and identify areas for improvement.

The study is targeted at service managers in the graphic industry. Organized by industry segments and printing technologies, it provides valuable insights into service improvement potentials and allows for direct comparison with competitors.

We offer the study in German for the price of €100 (plus 19% VAT). Please order via email here.

PRINT | SERVICE | REPORT | 2009

The inaugural survey by Apenberg & Partner in the printing industry reveals significant improvement potentials in service offerings among manufacturers. A total of 169 top decision-makers from printing companies, prepress operations, and bookbinding firms participated in the first online service survey conducted by the Hamburg-based consulting firm. Sixty-one percent of the participants hold technical leadership positions in their companies, 35 percent are managing directors, and another 4 percent are part of the other management levels.

The respondents were invited between January 20, 2009, and March 15, 2009, to evaluate service quality concerning the main categories of CTP systems, printing presses, and finishing equipment. The assessment basis for evaluating each manufacturer comes from responses in three different areas. The survey thus includes questions about regular maintenance, unscheduled repairs, and the extraordinary services provided by manufacturers.

The survey was conducted using an online questionnaire, where participants were asked to rate the questions using school grades. Based on this, the results are presented in the following analysis in the form of a comprehensive ranking.

Please order via email here.

Business Sales in the Printing Industry

By Tim Trampenau (Student Assistant at Apenberg & Partner)

The German printing industry is undergoing a consolidation process. More and more printing companies are facing the challenge of balancing rising costs for materials and energy with less rapidly increasing producer prices for printing services. As a result, growth in the years 2012 to 2013 remained moderate despite a favorable economic climate, and no significant increases in growth rates are expected for 2014. Consequently, the investment willingness in the printing industry is also cautious: expansion investments are rarely made, and replacement investments are only undertaken with the premise that they will pay off in the shortest possible time.

Sales Professionals in a Personality Assessment

Sure! Here’s the translation:

What personality traits do successful salespeople have? They are among the most sought-after professions within the German-speaking economic area: experts in sales and distribution form the foundation of every successful company, especially in times of high competitive pressure. To withstand this competitive pressure, printing and publishing houses must not only offer excellent products and services but also have a professional sales department.

Collective Agreements and Contracts for Work in the Printing Industry

Under the slogan “Equal Payment/Equal Treatment,” the service union ver.di has been striving for collective agreements for temporary workers across all industries for some time. Officially, there have not yet been any concrete collective bargaining negotiations for temporary workers in the printing industry. Not yet!

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