135 years of Plöchl: Tradition and innovation in the heart of Freistadt

25. November 2024

WOM

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Freistadt. 135 years ago, on November 25, 1889, Friedrich Plöchl opened the doors of his bookbinding and paper shop in Freistadt. This was the beginning of a traditional family company that still exists.

The early days was anything but easy because the competition was already strong due to two other bookbinders. In order to boost his business, Plöchl diversified and started selling newspapers and postcards. In order to serve this new branch of business, he learned the emerging technology of photography. In 1903 he bought the town house 149, which is now known as Pfarrgasse 16, and there he established family business for almost a century.

from the war to modernization

The son of Friedrich, Hermann Plöchl, joined the company in 1927. In 1934 he acquired the Seidler printing company under difficult financial conditions without formal training in the printing system. During the Second World War, Hermann was moved into the military in 1943, which is why the company had to be shut down until 1945.

The printing company was taken over by Hermann's son Fritz Plöchl after the end of the war, who visited the graphic school in Vienna from 1948. In 1960 he introduced modern offset printing. Since the premises soon became too small, he had a new hall built in Werndlstraße 2 in 1972. A remarkable achievement was the purchase of the first Heidelberg Speedmaster in Austria in 1976, which was able to print paper sheets on both sides. This investment was associated with a high risk, but even attracted international visitors who were interested in the innovative machine.

Bernhard Plöchl, who took over the fourth generation of the printing house in Greece in 1993 in Greece, Vorarlberg and Germany, reports proudly about the high -quality printed products that are produced for renowned publishers. Environmental protection has a top priority for him; This is how environmentally friendly materials have always been worked on, and the energy supply is sustainable through its own PV system and participations in wind power projects.

new businesses and social initiatives

After almost 30 years of management, Bernhard Plöchl 2021 made part of the company, Plöchl Druck GmbH. However, he continues his further branch of business, Plöchl Verlag GmbH, himself, where he realizes book projects for the University of Vienna and the Stifterhaus in Linz. In 2021 he also opened the “Naturally Plöchl” business in Pfarrgasse, which offers a colorful range of books, gifts and postcards together with his partner Karin Kneidinger.

In addition, Plöchl plans to establish an association to maintain traditional professions in sentence, printing and bookbindery. "The craft has a long and significant story. I see the need to pass on and preserve this legacy," he describes his motivation.

The story of Plöchl in Freistadt is not only an example of a successful family business, but also for constant adaptation and innovation in the changing world of printing and embarrassing. Further details on this exciting development and the role of Plöchl in today's printing industry are in a report on www.tips.at to be found.