The Bertelsmann Marketing Services companies GGP Media and Campaign, together with VVA (Arvato Media) and the Penguin Random House publishing group, are planning to establish a high-performance print-on-demand (PoD) production facility for black and white books.
The aim of the collaboration is to establish an economically and technically stable production and logistics solution for the on-demand production of books in very small print runs.
The new print-on-demand (PoD) solution will shorten production and delivery times, reduce inventory, and improve the availability of backlist titles in particular. At the same time, it complements existing production processes and leverages the established logistics and delivery infrastructure due to its proximity to VVA. The new production and distribution capacities will be available from April 2027.
“As part of this cooperation, we are pooling the customer and production expertise of our two units, GGP and Campaign, as well as our sister company VVA, along the entire value chain and providing a reliable answer to the increasing demand from publishers for flexible solutions for very small print runs. Together, we are creating the conditions for an economical and sustainable print-on-demand production that will meet the long-term requirements of the book market,” says Dirk Kemmerer, CEO of Bertelsmann Marketing Services.
Partnership along the entire value chain:
The project combines the expertise of the participating partners in the areas of publishing, book production, and logistics. While Campaign is building up its digital printing production capacity at its Reinhard Mohn Straße location in Gütersloh, GGP Media contributes its many years of experience in industrial book production and process design. VVA is responsible for connecting to its existing logistics and distribution infrastructure. In the future, the new solution will be available not only to the Penguin Random House publishing group but to all publishers in principle.
Christian Jünger, CEO of the Penguin Random House publishing group, says: “Every book we publish deserves the chance to reach its readers – even many years after its release. That’s why it’s so important for us to keep our authors’ books available for as long as possible. With the new print-on-demand service, we can react more flexibly to actual demand, reduce overproduction and inventory, and maintain availability. In the best interests of our authors, we are thus combining publishing excellence with ecological and economic sustainability.”
Modern production platform for on-demand book manufacturing:
A new production line for the black and white book segment is currently being built at the Gütersloh site. The plan is to produce softcover titles with black and white content and color covers. After production, the books will be handed over to VVA. Depending on demand, they will then either be shipped immediately or integrated into VVA’s existing warehouse system.
Print-on-demand production allows for manufacturing according to actual demand. This avoids overproduction, reduces inventory, and uses resources more efficiently. At the same time, it improves the long-term availability, especially of backlist titles. A production volume of approximately one million copies is planned for the first year of operation. The new production line is designed for an annual capacity of up to 1.5 million books.
Expansion of the service portfolio planned:
Just a few months after the start of production in April 2027, the production line is slated to be expanded to include a technology for manufacturing brochures with flaps using a print-on-demand process. This will add a production method not yet available on the market to the platform’s range of services.
By jointly establishing print-on-demand production, Campaign, GGP Media, VVA, and the Penguin Random House publishing houses are creating the foundation for an integrated solution that intelligently combines production and logistics. The project thus contributes to a more flexible, resource-efficient, and economical supply of books to the market.