After the inauguration ceremony the guests were given an insight into the production processes of the new production site.
D – The Belgian playing card company, Cartamundi, officially inaugurated a new playing card factory on September 5, 2023 in D-Altenburg, Thuringia. After the ground-breaking ceremony in April 2022, the factory already went into operation earlier this spring.
Spanning 20,000 m², the modern building offers sufficient space for a production plant, a warehouse as well as offices and recreation rooms. The construction was designed with ecological and social sustainability aspects in mind and has been certified by the German Sustainable Building Council. For example, it features a rainwater cistern for irrigation and toilet flushing purposes, photovoltaic systems that are to be further developed for an independent energy supply in the future as well as extensive compensation areas with trees, flowers, bee and nesting boxes. Well-being areas are at the disposal of the approx. 300 employees.
Whereas the production was distributed over four levels in the old playing card factory in Altenburg, all of the production units are now on the ground floor, which greatly simplifies the production flow and logistics. Only the printing machine is located at the former location until purchasing a new one is planned.
Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik that is part of Cartamundi Germany not only produces playing cards for the company’s own brand, ASS Altenburger, but also for other international Cartamundi brands (i.e. Bicycle). Furthermore, the company also carries out printing orders for the board and card games of famous publishing houses like Kosmos and Hans im Glück or also for the Pokémon collectible card game.
In total, Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik produced 34 million decks of cards at the old location in 2022 and over 10 million board games. In spite of the slight decline in sales after the boom during the pandemic, Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik was able to record a turnover of over 47 million Euros in 2022. Jürgen Gehr, Vice President Publishing CEE of the Cartamundi Group and Managing Director of Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik, is confident that the figures will be topped this year under the new conditions.
Members of the Board of Directors of the Cartamundi Group opening the new plant (f.t.l.): Stefaan Merckx, Jürgen Gehr, Dimitri de Somer, Sybille de Cartier de Marchienne, Jean-Louis de Cartier de Marchienne and Arnaud de Cartier de Marchienne.
In addition to Gehr, representatives of the Board of Directors of the Cartamundi Group; André Neumann, Mayor of the City of Altenburg, as well as the District Administrator, Uwe Melzer also attended the official inauguration of the new production hall. After the speech by the Managing Director, Gehr, and the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon, the local and international guests were able to view the premises. Stefan Luther, the long-time Managing Director of Altenburger Spielkartenfabrik, was also among the guests. He asserted himself within the Cartamundi Group for the project and was co-responsible for making the new building possible. Luther already took up a European role last year and will be leaving the group at the end of the year.
Cartamundi operates a global network of design centres, sales offices and production sites, which span from the USA, to Europe, through to Japan. As such, the family company that is based in Turnhout, Belgium is one of the leading suppliers of playing cards, card and board games worldwide. The traditional brand ASS Altenburger serves the German market including also the promotional products segment.
