Why Consulting Firms Are Buying Their Own Printing Presses

Consulting firms are acquiring printing presses—yes, the industrial kind. In this episode, Lucas and Luna unpack why Bain & Company bought a printing subsidiary in 2025 for $47 million, and why McKinsey now runs its own on-demand publishing arm. They trace the logic: proprietary content control, client gifting, and a surprising arbitrage on production costs. With print still a $780 billion industry globally, these firms see an opportunity to turn their intellectual property into physical products that land on CEOs' desks. Lucas argues it's a defensive move against the commoditization of digital thought leadership; Luna pushes back on whether the ROI pencils out. They close by asking if more professional services firms will follow suit, and what it means for the traditional publishing houses that used to serve them. A focused, data-driven look at a niche but revealing trend. #BainAndCompany #McKinsey #Consulting #PrintingPresses #ThoughtLeadership #IntellectualProperty #OnDemandPublishing #BusinessStrategy #ProfessionalServices #PrintIndustry #ContentMarketing #ROI #MergersAndAcquisitions #BainCapital #ClientRelationships #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ServiceBusinessTalks Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo