With All the Senses
They specialize in the unusual. Employees at the Druckstudio
GmbH in Düsseldorf are in their element when working on
projects discarded in desperation by other print shops. They
translate clients' ideas into a multi-sensory experience with
the aid of specific screen processes, UV-technology and a variety
of finishes on the most diverse print- ing stock imaginable. The
company swears by cutting-edge technology, and this approach pays
off: Custo- mers are addicted to its products.
Werner Drechsler is on the move most of the time. During our conversation, he twiddles a pen with his fingers, balancing it upright on the desk. From time to time, the print shop boss springs up from his seat to fetch a print from his filing cabinet. Neverthe- less, this man is not fuelled by frantic unease. On the contrary, the 52-year old exudes sheer vitality which drives him to try his hand at new projects - time and again. This vitality is echoed in the paintings by the French artist, Christophe Bouchet, whose works Drechsler reveres, several of which are displayed at his home and in the offices. The works depict painted figures radiating blithe sensuality, which are delineated in broad brushstrokes. And this sensuality is imparted to the observer, exactly like the owner's passion for beauty. The quasi "energy-laden" environment resonates with the resolve which has spurred Drechsler to achieve his aims and do his own thing his whole life through. Yet Drechsler is not the driven one; he is the person setting the pace. And he operates at top speed, for he is convinced: "In today's competitive environment, the fast devour the slow. It's all about getting in first, being the first to track down new trends, and the first to use new techniques and to start up production as quickly as possible. It goes without saying that the quality has to be up to scratch." And Drechsler was always among the first. 18 years ago, he started printing using one of the first presses to be equipped with an inline coating unit, and UV offset printing has been the order of the day under the management of Drechsler's business partner, Rolf Albers, for 11 years now. This enthusiasm for the new, coupled with a distinctively service-orientated approach, has earned the company a steady growth in sales over 29 successive years since it was founded in 1977. In the 2006 financial year, the Druckstudio GmbH and its 40 employees are aiming for a 30 percent increase in turnover, taking the total to 7.67 million US-Dollars (six million Euro) and thus quadrupling profits. Drechsler has ensured that these triumphs continue thanks to the premature selection of his successors: the next generation, in the form of Dirk Puslat and Martin Piszczek, is already swelling the ranks of the management board.
Upscale market
The company's 1,000-strong client base, comprising mid-sized companies (70 percent) and agencies (30 percent), knows that it is in safe hands with the Düsseldorfers. Customers fully appreciate the cutting-edge technology and quality they receive. This is because many of them, especially cosmetic sector companies such as Shiseido or world market leader L'Oréal, with well-known brands like Lancôme, Vichy, Garnier, Biotherm, Jade Maybelline, Helena Rubinstein and Armani, automotive manufacturer Mazda, telecommunications giant Vodafone or clothing manufacturer Falke, inhabit the market's upper echelons and thus place great value on the high-class presentation of their products. This client base makes the print shop relatively immune to economic slumps, as the demand for luxury goods rarely declines during periods of financial depression with the intermediate market segment hit hardest instead. Added to this, the print shop does not depend on any one specific customer. Approximately 60 percent of its turnover is produced by 20 customers, none of whom generate more than ten percent of this figure.
You can download the complete article on the top right-hand side.
Werner Drechsler is on the move most of the time. During our conversation, he twiddles a pen with his fingers, balancing it upright on the desk. From time to time, the print shop boss springs up from his seat to fetch a print from his filing cabinet. Neverthe- less, this man is not fuelled by frantic unease. On the contrary, the 52-year old exudes sheer vitality which drives him to try his hand at new projects - time and again. This vitality is echoed in the paintings by the French artist, Christophe Bouchet, whose works Drechsler reveres, several of which are displayed at his home and in the offices. The works depict painted figures radiating blithe sensuality, which are delineated in broad brushstrokes. And this sensuality is imparted to the observer, exactly like the owner's passion for beauty. The quasi "energy-laden" environment resonates with the resolve which has spurred Drechsler to achieve his aims and do his own thing his whole life through. Yet Drechsler is not the driven one; he is the person setting the pace. And he operates at top speed, for he is convinced: "In today's competitive environment, the fast devour the slow. It's all about getting in first, being the first to track down new trends, and the first to use new techniques and to start up production as quickly as possible. It goes without saying that the quality has to be up to scratch." And Drechsler was always among the first. 18 years ago, he started printing using one of the first presses to be equipped with an inline coating unit, and UV offset printing has been the order of the day under the management of Drechsler's business partner, Rolf Albers, for 11 years now. This enthusiasm for the new, coupled with a distinctively service-orientated approach, has earned the company a steady growth in sales over 29 successive years since it was founded in 1977. In the 2006 financial year, the Druckstudio GmbH and its 40 employees are aiming for a 30 percent increase in turnover, taking the total to 7.67 million US-Dollars (six million Euro) and thus quadrupling profits. Drechsler has ensured that these triumphs continue thanks to the premature selection of his successors: the next generation, in the form of Dirk Puslat and Martin Piszczek, is already swelling the ranks of the management board.
Upscale market
The company's 1,000-strong client base, comprising mid-sized companies (70 percent) and agencies (30 percent), knows that it is in safe hands with the Düsseldorfers. Customers fully appreciate the cutting-edge technology and quality they receive. This is because many of them, especially cosmetic sector companies such as Shiseido or world market leader L'Oréal, with well-known brands like Lancôme, Vichy, Garnier, Biotherm, Jade Maybelline, Helena Rubinstein and Armani, automotive manufacturer Mazda, telecommunications giant Vodafone or clothing manufacturer Falke, inhabit the market's upper echelons and thus place great value on the high-class presentation of their products. This client base makes the print shop relatively immune to economic slumps, as the demand for luxury goods rarely declines during periods of financial depression with the intermediate market segment hit hardest instead. Added to this, the print shop does not depend on any one specific customer. Approximately 60 percent of its turnover is produced by 20 customers, none of whom generate more than ten percent of this figure.
You can download the complete article on the top right-hand side.
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Druckstudio GmbH
Further information about the print shop is available here (German only). Homepage
