The Hamburg-based management consultants Apenberg & Partner have once again completed their traditional management survey on the market and business development of the German printing industry for the year 2025 with a high level of participation. 191 companies (previous year: 221) took part in the study.
‘The current study results make it clear that companies need to adapt their business models. In doing so, they need to take more account of the hard facts of industry developments,’ emphasises Yorck Wittkuhn, Consultant at Apenberg & Partner.
Rising supplier prices, falling customer prices
The printing industry will be faced with rising supplier prices in 2025. Only 13 per cent plan to pass on the increased supplier prices to their customers, while 36 per cent even want to reduce customer prices. A similar picture emerges in the graphic arts supply industry and packaging printing: 41 per cent (graphic arts suppliers) and 29 per cent (packaging printing) expect supplier prices to rise, while only 21 per cent (both industries) plan to increase their customer prices.
Web offset printing (heatset)
Web offset printers (heatset) no longer believe in their business model. 89 percent of participants in the autumn forecast focusing on web offset (heatset) expect the market to decline in the coming year.
Packaging printing
Packaging printers are much more optimistic in 2024 than in the previous year. 24% expect earnings to increase (previous year: 18%) and 47% expect earnings to remain the same (previous year: 33%). At 41 per cent, significantly fewer expect the market to decline than in the previous year (-11 PP).
Apenberg & Partner
Apenberg & Partner’s Print Business Consultants team has been advising medium-sized companies and groups in the printing industry since 1987. Clients are printers, publishers and the graphic supply industry. Apenberg & Partner provides support with strategic reorganisation, restructuring, company sales and the direct search for managers and specialists.
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