The announced closure of Bertelsmann?s Vogel Druck in Germany illustrates a trend that has been underway for several years in the European commercial printing industry. Faced with declining volumes of magazines and catalogs, printing groups are reorganizing their industrial capacity and redirecting their investments toward more dynamic markets. This trend raises the question of a lasting reduction in production capacity dedicated to printing publications.
The decline in catalog printing is shifting the industrial balance for printers
For several decades, commercial catalogs were one of the main markets for European offset presses. Major retailers fueled a market characterized by high volumes and steady production.
This industry is evolving rapidly. Retailers are investing more in digital media, personalized campaigns, and online channels. Catalog volumes are gradually declining, while print runs are shorter and campaigns are more targeted.
This trend automatically reduces the utilization rates of industrial equipment designed to produce several hundred thousand units per order. When the presses are no longer operating at their economic load level, it becomes more difficult to absorb fixed costs.
The planned closure of Vogel Druck before the end of 2027 is in line with this strategy. According to Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the sustained decline in magazine and catalog volumes no longer makes it possible to ensure the site?s profitability.
Recent investments are no longer offsetting the decline in volumes
The case of Vogel Druck shows that industrial modernization alone no longer guarantees the long-term viability of a printing company specializing in publications.
The Höchberg facility had continued to invest in recent years. In particular, Bertelsmann had launched a program to reduce its carbon footprint through the use of renewable electricity, heat recovery from printing presses, mineral-oil-free inks, and several environmental certifications.
These developments improve energy efficiency and meet the expectations of clients. However, they do not generate new production volumes when the market continues to contract.
This situation serves as a reminder that industrial investments today address two distinct challenges: improving the competitiveness of existing facilities and ensuring sufficient capacity to make the equipment profitable.
European companies are reorienting their investments
The closure of Vogel Druck is not an isolated case. Across Europe, major players in the commercial printing industry are adapting their production facilities to a market where the volume of magazines, catalogs, and flyers continues to decline.
The British group Walstead is a prime example of this strategy. Rather than maintaining a network of underutilized sites, it has made a series of acquisitions in recent years to concentrate production at a smaller number of plants. In 2019, Walstead closed its Southernprint facility in Poole, United Kingdom, resulting in the loss of 179 jobs. In 2024, the group also announced the shutdown of a web press at its Peterborough facility and a reduction in its workforce. The company explains that new contracts no longer offset the structural decline in print volumes.
This streamlining continues. The 2018 acquisition of LSC Communications? European operations?which included six printing plants in Poland specializing in catalogs and magazines?was part of this strategy. The goal was not to increase production capacity, but to improve capacity utilization in a market that had become oversupplied.
At Bertelsmann, the announced closure of Vogel Druck is also part of a strategy to refocus the business. The group retains significant capacity through Mohn Media and GGP Media, while divesting a facility whose specialization in magazines and catalogs is no longer considered economically viable. This approach prioritizes busier production units over maintaining excess capacity.
This trend reflects a shift in strategy. Investments are no longer aimed at increasing commercial printing capacity, but rather at optimizing existing facilities and redeploying resources to more dynamic markets. Packaging, labels, personalized direct mail, and multichannel communication services now account for a growing share of investments by major graphic arts groups.
These decisions show that catalog printing has entered a phase of sustained consolidation. Industry players are focusing less on increasing production and more on adapting their manufacturing capacity to a market where volumes continue to decline.
Consolidation That Is Transforming the Landscape of Commercial Printing
The reduction in production capacity is gradually changing the structure of commercial printing in Europe.
The printers that remain active in this market generally have more modern production equipment, significant industrial capacity, and a diversified portfolio of activities. This diversification becomes a source of resilience when certain segments experience a slowdown.
Conversely, companies that rely heavily on catalogs or magazines appear to be more vulnerable to fluctuations in a shrinking market.
The closure of Vogel Druck affects approximately 280 employees and marks another chapter in this wave of industry consolidation. It also highlights the difficulty some long-established printing companies face in staying in business despite recent technical investments and modernization efforts.
