Who has not used, at some time, the famous RUBIO notebooks? They are those with whom generations and generations of parents, siblings and children have grown up., have managed to return to their maximum splendor during the last decade, thanks, to a great extent, to the impulse of their general manager, Enrique Rubio. Under his leadership, the RUBIO publishing house has managed to strengthen the trust of parents, teachers and students, while expanding the target with differential products aimed at an adult audience.
In this way, and after closing a record year in 2020 with a 50% growth in sales, the company has managed to maintain that increase despite the difficult situation and close 2021 with a growth of more than 5% in its turnover, which has been above 3.6 million euros.
These figures, to which are added the almost 5.5 million notebooks that the publisher has produced this last year, which means increased circulation of copies. In fact, RUBIO’s sales have grown in the different channels in which it is present, specifically more than 20% in the wholesale channel and close to 60% in points of sale, which has allowed it to increase the number of exhibitors and product visibility by up to 120% during the past year. Not to mention that his flagship storelocated in the city of Valenciaheadquarters of the publishing house, has become a point of reference for international design, which has rewarded its uniqueness with a growth in sales of over 51% in 2021.
“We are really very grateful to have been able not only to maintain and consolidate the growth achieved in the last two years, which have been exceptional in many aspects, but also to have managed to increase our turnover by more than 5%. It has much merit”, explains Enrique Rubio, general director of the publishing house, who is clear that it is fundamental “Knowing how to listen to the needs of the public we are targeting and being able to anticipate to respond to their needs”.
New targets and products, the pillars of growth
This positive inertia, which the company already had before 2019, has been increased since the pandemic and is based on the trust placed in the brand for its long history accompanying the training of new generations, as well as the firm commitment to conquer new audiences, more adults, and the development of innovative products, based on new pedagogical currents.
Thus, once again this year, its diversification with collections aimed at the adult public, a recent bet by the publisher, has been rewarded with an increase in the demand for collections, as in the case of Creative Calligraphy, which grows almost 35% in sales. In the case of the proposals aimed at children and young people, with an innovative pedagogical approach, some of the proposals that have aroused the greatest interest have been those focused on working in summer periods, “My BLONDE Summer Notebook, with teacher Manolo” or the collection Holidays, developed in several vehicular languages. Both add a growth of close to 35% in 2021, while in the case of material to improve spelling, demand drives 42%.
New RUBIO headquarters on the way
And the thing is, last year has been especially important for Enrique Rubio, general director of RUBIO, and for his publisher. A year in which the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the publisher and that it has been the prelude to important projects that will be tackled throughout 2022.
One of the most important milestones this year is the start of construction work on the firm’s new headquarters, which will bring together the entire RUBIO universe under the same singular space. A unique building that will rise on the land acquired in 2021 in the business park Paterna Tactic (Valencia). More than 10,000 m2 that will house the new headquarters, the firm’s ideas studio, the printing house and the Rubio Museum, and which will be designed by the Masquespacio studio, which was already in charge of creating the flagship store of the signature.
An optimal location, due to its connections and services, in which the publisher hopes to have its headquarters throughout 2023. “We have a clear future and we are very happy with everything that is coming”, explains Enrique Rubio, who since he took over the publishing house has been clear that the way to make the company strong was through innovation, by supporting its main audience, teachers and families in student learning, as well as to broaden the public to which its collections are destined.
