Renovation of a well-known printing company has finally failed

Industry crisis makes restructuring impossible

“Due to massive declines in sales and a poor order situation in the entire printing industry, it is no longer possible from today’s perspective to fulfill a restructuring plan,” explains insolvency expert Stephan Mazal from Creditreform. The originally planned restructuring with a creditor quota of 20 percent turned out to be unfeasible.

Three of seven locations remain

The company had already filed for bankruptcy in March 2026. At that time, restructuring proceedings were initiated without self-administration. Four of the seven locations – Rohr, Traun, Freistadt and Bad Ischl – had to be closed immediately after the bankruptcy filing. In addition to the headquarters in Melk, only the Gmunden and Mittersill locations are currently in operation.

“The legally independent companies Druckerei Mittermüller, WIGO Druck, Stiepel Druck and Gugler Medien will continue their business operations unchanged and will continue to be available to their customers as reliable partners with their range of services and their professional expertise,” it says in a press release.

5.2 million euros in debt – 211 creditors

By the audit meeting in mid-May 2026, a total of 211 creditors had registered claims amounting to around 5.2 million euros. The creditors now have to write off a large part of their outstanding debts. In bankruptcy proceedings, significantly lower rates are usually achieved than in restructuring proceedings.

Dramatic job cuts

Of the original 66 employees, 44 have already left. Only 22 employees are currently employed – probably only to handle ongoing business. With the transition to bankruptcy proceedings, their employment is likely to end in the foreseeable future.

Structural crisis in the printing industry

The Salzkammergut-Media case is symptomatic of the crisis in the traditional printing industry. Increasing digitalization, falling print media circulation and the decline in classic print products have been putting the industry under massive pressure for years. Many companies are struggling with overcapacity and shrinking margins. Further processing is now in the hands of the liquidator. It is currently unclear whether buyers can still be found for individual locations or parts of the company.