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The end of an era: Ebner & Spiegel closes after 200 years!
The traditional Ulm printing company Ebner & Spiegel ceases operations after more than 200 years; over 200 employees affected.
The end of an era: Ebner & Spiegel closes after 200 years!
The printing landscape in Germany has once again suffered a painful loss. The traditional printing company Ebner & Spiegel from Ulm, which looks back on more than 200 years of history, filed for bankruptcy on April 7, 2023. This not only means that an institution in the industry will no longer exist, but over 200 jobs are also at risk. The last printed sheet ran through the machines on June 27, 2025, and the production halls have been silent ever since Mercury reported.
The history of Ebner & Spiegel goes back to 1817. Originally founded as J. Ebner'sche Buchhandlung, the company has printed numerous bestsellers over the years, including the popular Harry Potter novels and Hape Kerkeling's Way of St. James diary. Despite this impressive track record, the printing industry has been hit by massive economic challenges in recent years.
Economic difficulties and consequences
The parent company CPI Germany cited falling production volumes and rising unit costs as the main reasons for the bankruptcy. A conversion to a digital printing company, which was seen as a glimmer of hope, did not materialize. Over the years, production was increasingly relocated abroad, particularly to the Czech Republic. The works council chairman Christian Clement described the employees' situation: "Everything is empty, no one is there anymore," which illustrates the dimension of the loss.
Discussions with potential investors were unsuccessful. Only a transfer company was founded to offer the affected employees new perspectives. This helps former employees to reorient themselves professionally and supports them with 80 percent of their original salary during the six-month period. The print shop used to produce up to 450,000 paperbacks and 170,000 hardcover volumes every day.
A sad trend in the printing industry
Ebner & Spiegel is not the only company in the printing industry that has fallen into crisis in recent years. As early as 2024, several printing companies filed for bankruptcy. For example, Tiefdruck Schwann-Bagel and GDP Foodpackaging, both of which had to close due to technical deficiencies and economic problems. The industry faces increasingly fierce competition and unpredictable market conditions, described as “creeping death.”
The closure of Ebner & Spiegel and the numerous other printing companies is not only a loss for the employees and their families, but also for the culture of the written word in Germany. Many of the companies affected not only had a long tradition, but also played an important role in anchoring literature and information in society.
The hope remains that digitalization will open up new opportunities, but the path there is still uncertain. In these difficult times, support for the affected employees and consideration of how the industry can survive in the future are needed more than ever Swabian and Print media note.