Bertelsmann Links Up to 1.5 Million PoD Books a Year to Logistics
Beyond short-run production costs, what will publishers pay for—from keeping books in print to fulfilment?
Bertelsmann plans to start a print-on-demand book line in April 2027, targeting about 1 million books in its first year. Finished books will pass to publishing logistics provider VVA, then split between direct shipment to the customer and storage in an existing warehouse. How far will publishers’ spending extend—from short-run production to keeping titles in print and fulfilling orders?
Gathered with AI. Thought through on the shop floor. Written for the future of print.
BPJ WIRE: stories selected and drafted by the BPJ desk from world news, fact-checked against the source ledger — published alongside the editor's own picks.
Translated from Japanese by AI. The Japanese original is authoritative.

Bertelsmann has announced plans to divide finished books between two routes. The books will pass to VVA, its publishing logistics provider, and either ship directly to the customer or enter an existing warehouse. The plan brings production in the quantities required for each order, and the books’ subsequent destination, into a single business.…
The rest is for members
Read the full article. Our feature reports also carry an archive-grade one-page brief (BPJ VISUAL BRIEF) — every figure with its source.
Already a member? Log in
Sources
Beyond Printing Journal — read the world through print, and print the future.