the sustainable supply chain

For decades, the publishing sector has operated under a ‘supply model’ based on printing according to sales estimates, which generates annual return rates of around 30 % in Spain (according to the latest data from the Informe Comercio Interior del Libro en España, which states that among publishers with registered returns, the average turnover in 2024 was €3.46 million, with average returns of 0.94 million, representing a return rate of 27.1 %).

Print-on-demand networks can disrupt this inefficient dynamic through the strategic integration of metadata and print-on-demand technology.

• Sell before printing: in models such as Podiprint, the book is sold (both physically and digitally) through the catalogues of national bookshops such as Casa del Libro, Agapea, Kálamo Books, Librería Proteo, Podibooks, Elkar, Librería Iberoamericana, or international ones such as Gonvill, Gandhi, Cadabra Books (in Mexico), or El Yelmo (Uruguay) before going to press. This fundamental change eliminates speculation and guarantees that each copy produced has a guaranteed buyer.

• Sovereignty of the publishing catalog and the “long tail” economy: The market has undergone a radical transformation towards the publishing catalog. In the last decade, we have gone from a 50/50 balance between new releases and backlist titles to a scenario where the backlist represents 70 % of total sales. PoD networks allow the entire catalog to remain active and available without incurring storage costs, capitalizing on this structural market trend.

• Infinite catalog for bookstores: Partner bookstores can offer access to more than three million titles without the traditional limitations of physical space. This definitively eliminates the loss of sales caused by titles declared as “active” in the systems but without available stock, an endemic problem to the traditional model.

• Printing on demand not only optimises resources, but also makes it easier to keep content up to date: the publisher can incorporate corrections or regulatory changes in each new print run, without relying on closed print runs. In the traditional model, existing stock forces an uncomfortable choice between liquidating the old edition or assuming the cost of withdrawing it. On-demand production eliminates that tension and guarantees readers a version that is more faithful to current knowledge.

A presentation of Alberto Sánchez Venegas, Innovation Officer at Podiprint (IC Grupo), at Canon's Future Book Forum 2025.

Sustainability is no longer a marketing label; it has become a financial and ethical imperative. The traditional “print and wait” model is responsible for the industry’s greatest moral burden: the systematic destruction of surplus.

With no drop shipments or consignment, returns disappear completely. This transformation eliminates both the economic overheads and CO₂ emissions associated with the unnecessary transportation of books that will never be sold.

If we take as a reference the data provided by the Asociación Española de Pasta, Papel y Cartón (ASPAPEL), printing a book of around 300 pages has a carbon footprint of 1.2 kg of CO₂. The real impact of traditional production is better understood when incorporating the average return rate of 27.1 %: for a copy to actually reach a reader, the system requires an average of 1.37 books to be manufactured, which raises the ‘effective’ footprint to 1.65 kg of CO₂e per book sold. In other words, returns introduce a climate surcharge of 37 %, equivalent to an additional 0.45 kg of CO₂e for each book that is ultimately purchased.

Printing is done locally and decentralized, close to the point of final consumption. By printing at the point of delivery, PoD networks transform traditional global logistics into a distribution model that drastically reduces the environmental impact of both manufacturing and transportation.

In a globalized market, the traditional concept of “importing” physical books has become obsolete and excessively costly due to the sustained increase in raw materials and international transportation costs.

Podiprint’s global printing network allows US, German, or British publishers to market their titles in Spain (and vice versa) without the need to invest in speculative print runs, customs procedures, or local warehouses. The financial risk of internationalization is reduced to zero.

In this context, print-on-demand (PoD) with destination printing offers clear operational advantages over traditional exporting.

• First, it significantly reduces lead times: instead of the weeks conventional exporting usually requires, local printing can complete production and delivery in under five days, improving channel responsiveness.

• Second, it simplifies logistics and lowers costs. By working as a nationwide printing and distribution service in the destination country, the model removes the international transport element that is unavoidable in any export operation.

• It also offers greater control of commercial risk. Short runs and on-demand production greatly reduce exposure to non-payment, especially compared with high-volume international shipments involving thousands of copies.

• From a cash-flow perspective, it reduces friction for publishers invoicing in euros by eliminating commissions linked to collecting in dollars and converting the proceeds.

• In addition, the direct channel connection typical of PoD distribution prevents stockouts and avoids upfront investment, since each copy is printed only after a sale, ensuring ongoing availability in international markets without tying up capital.

This translates into immediate availability, without geographical barriers. Titles travel as digital files and are only materialized when there is a confirmed buyer. This model ensures that the publisher’s catalog is not limited by geographical borders or by the financial capacity of publishers to maintain physical stock in multiple markets.

Print-on-demand is not a passing trend, but a structural reality that is essential to the future of the publishing industry. At Podiprint, we are demonstrating that profitability and sustainability are not mutually exclusive concepts: they are the natural result of applying smart technology to create a supply chain that respects both the value of cultural content and the ecological limits of the planet.