GGP Media

GGP Media is a German printing company headquartered in Pößneck, Thuringia. It is one of Europe's leading print service providers and a business unit of the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the printing arm of the international media group Bertelsmann. The company specializes in the production of books, e-books, magazines and commercial printed materials, and describes itself as Europe's leading print service provider. Its roots go back to 1891, when the Vogel Verlag was founded in Pößneck. After the Second World War the operation was nationalized and became the Karl-Marx-Werk Pößneck, which grew into the largest book factory in the German Democratic Republic. Following German reunification, the Treuhand transformed the printer into a corporation named Graphischer Großbetrieb Pößneck, and in October 1990 Bertelsmann acquired the company. The plant was extensively modernized and contributed significantly to the growth of Bertelsmann's printing and industrial division in the early 1990s. After a restructuring program in the mid-1990s, the company focused on single-color book printing and became the German market leader in that segment. It later became part of the division that was named Arvato in 1999, and with the renaming of Mohndruck to Mohn Media, the Thuringian plant adopted the name GGP Media. In the first ten years after Bertelsmann's takeover, GGP Media's revenue rose to 200 million Deutsche Mark. After the turn of the millennium, Bertelsmann continued to invest heavily in the Pößneck site, including modern printing presses and a new hall for bookbinding. GGP Media became one of the most important companies in the region and the market leader for single-color printed books in Europe. In 2010 the portfolio was expanded to include e-book production and typesetting services. Despite pressure on the printing industry in the 2010s from overcapacity and declining print runs, GGP Media responded with investments in digital printing and automation. Bertelsmann supported this strategy by founding the Bertelsmann Printing Group on 1 January 2016; GGP Media is one of its 13 largely independent business units. The company's customers are primarily book publishers. While Mohn Media traditionally specializes in color works, the so-called "black-and-white book" has been located in Pößneck since the transfer of production from Elsnerdruck in 2002. In addition to prepress, production in printed and digital form, further processing and finishing, GGP Media also handles logistics and delivery of books. Among its best-known works are titles from the "Harry Potter" and "Fifty Shades of Grey" series. It also printed "Der Schwarm" by Frank Schätzing, the first FSC-certified book for the German market. The company emphasizes certified offset and digital print quality, ISO 9001 quality management, data security, product safety, certified forestry, CO₂ emissions and climate protection measures, waste management and recycling, and Cradle to Cradle Certified® statements.

The history of GGP Media goes back to the Vogel Verlag founded in 1891 in Pößneck, Thuringia. After the Second World War, the operation was nationalized, and its owner Ludwig Vogel moved to Coburg in Bavaria. The book publishing house was absorbed into the Thüringer Volksverlag, while the book production operation was named Karl-Marx-Werk Pößneck. It developed into the largest book factory in the German Democratic Republic. After the Wende (the peaceful revolution in East Germany), the Treuhand transformed the printer into a corporation under the name Graphischer Großbetrieb Pößneck. In October 1990, the international media group Bertelsmann acquired the company. The plant was then extensively modernized. The company contributed a large part to the growth of Bertelsmann's printing and industrial division in the early 1990s. Nevertheless, the printer did not reach the productivity level of West German operations. Only in the mid-1990s did a restructuring program achieve a turnaround. In addition, the company concentrated from then on on the production of single-color printed books. It became the German market leader in this area. In the further course, Bertelsmann transformed the Graphischer Großbetrieb Pößneck and other companies of the printing and industrial division into a worldwide media service provider. The printer became part of the corporate division that received the name Arvato in 1999. With the renaming of Mohndruck to Mohn Media, the name GGP Media was also introduced for the Thuringian plant. In the first ten years after the takeover by Bertelsmann, GGP Media's revenue rose to 200 million Deutsche Mark. After the turn of the millennium, the group continued to invest massively in the Pößneck site, for example in the form of modern printing presses or a new hall for bookbinding. GGP Media became one of the most important companies in the region and market leader for single-color printed books in Europe. In 2010, the portfolio was expanded to include the production of e-books and typesetting services. Regardless, the entire printing industry came under increasing pressure in the 2010s. Reasons included overcapacity and declining print runs. GGP Media countered this development with investments in digital printing and the automation of work processes. Bertelsmann supported the strategy with the founding of the Bertelsmann Printing Group on 1 January 2016. GGP Media is one of a total of 13 largely independently operating business units of the corporate group.

• 2016

  Bertelsmann Printing Group founded on 1 January 2016; GGP Media is one of 13 business units.

• 2010

  Portfolio expanded to include e-book production and typesetting services.

• 2002

  Production of the "black-and-white book" transferred from Elsnerdruck to Pößneck.

• 1999

  Printer becomes part of the division named Arvato; with Mohndruck renamed Mohn Media, the Thuringian plant adopts the name GGP Media.

• 1995

  Restructuring program achieves turnaround; focus on single-color book printing.

• 1990

  Treuhand transforms the printer into Graphischer Großbetrieb Pößneck; in October 1990 Bertelsmann acquires the company.

• 1990

  Plant extensively modernized after Bertelsmann takeover.

• 1990

  Revenue rises to 200 million Deutsche Mark in the first ten years after takeover.

• 1945

  After World War II, the operation is nationalized; owner Ludwig Vogel moves to Coburg. Book production becomes Karl-Marx-Werk Pößneck.

• 1891

  Vogel Verlag founded in Pößneck, Thuringia.

Europe's leading print service provider and market leader for single-color printed books; a Bertelsmann Printing Group business unit focused on book publishers.

• Books (single-color and color)

  Main product; GGP Media is market leader for single-color printed books in Europe.

• E-books

  Added to portfolio in 2010.

• Magazines

  Printed magazines.

• Commercial print (Akzidenzen)

  Commercial printed materials.

• Typesetting services

  Added in 2010.

• Logistics and delivery

  Logistics and delivery of books.

1. 1GGP Media official websiteggp-media.de
2. 2Unsere Geschichtenggp-media.de
3. 3GGP Media - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
4. 4GGP Media - Wikidatawikidata.org