The sky is the limit for the young Deventer native. Born into a hardworking working-class family, Marco works at the market but dreams of one day taking to the skies. Travelling the world, wearing smart suits: he wants to become a pilot. It is the first sign of his boundless ambition. However, his strong aversion to school eventually puts an end to his dream of becoming a pilot.
Marco’s ambition clearly knows no bounds, and he continues to see opportunities. While working at the market, his employer asks him to arrange business cards. Marco notices how inefficiently the Dutch printing market serves small customers. He spots an opportunity. Drukwerkdeal.nl is born: affordable, personalised printed materials produced at scale. Volume is the key to success. And it works.
Drukwerkdeal.nl
From a graduation project in an attic room, Marco initially builds Drukwerkdeal.nl together with a business partner into the Dutch market leader within just a few years. And on a considerable scale: 200 employees and a value of many tens of millions of euros. A highly modern internet company with an ever-expanding range of services and, uniquely within the industry, its own production capacity.
Investing in people is the company’s philosophy. That is where the real capital lies. At Drukwerkdeal.nl, they call it “We-commerce”.
In May 2013, Drukwerkdeal.nl opens its first international location in Antwerp. But Marco has bigger ambitions. Increasing volumes force the company to make a choice: serious expansion, requiring significant financial investment, or collaboration with another major player. When multinational Cimpress comes knocking in 2013, Aarnink accepts the offer. It is time to send his creation out into the world. For Marco personally, this marks both an ending and a new beginning.
Print.com
In 2014, Marco becomes the youngest-ever winner of the LOEY Award for ‘Best Online Entrepreneur’. “Marco is energetic, passionate about his work and has a sense of humour. He is a true entrepreneur; it is in his blood,” according to the jury.
And that entrepreneurial spirit soon takes over again. In early 2015, Aarnink leaves Drukwerkdeal.nl. Entrepreneurship is calling once more.
Marco wants to build something from the ground up, surrounded by enthusiastic people. Although he invests capital in several internet start-ups for more than two years, he does not see himself as a professional investor. He wants to get his hands dirty and be actively involved.
In mid-2017, Aarnink invests a substantial amount in what he calls “the real estate of the future”: the domain name Print.com. The ambition is evident from the name alone, and the results follow. Aarnink makes a flying start, and after a year of hard work, the Print.com platform launches in August 2018.
Investments
By early 2019, less than six months after the launch, the first two in-house production facilities are already in place. A textile printing company in Kampen is acquired, followed by a large-format printing company in Schijndel. Major investments follow as both companies are prepared for what Aarnink envisions as a much larger international operation. “First sow, then reap,” is his philosophy.
By mid-2019, international borders are beginning to disappear. Print.com rapidly expands into Belgium, followed by France in early 2020. Print.com is firmly established and becomes a significant player in the online printing landscape.
Aarnink and his partners are also making an impact offline. Through the Arcis consortium, they acquire two leading organisations in door-to-door distribution: Spotta and Axender. At first glance, the distribution market may seem unrelated to printing, but “vertical integration” and “end-to-end solutions” are key concepts that demonstrate how this fits into plans that extend far beyond printing alone.
