Independent Publishers Group (IPG) has acquired UK-based United Independent Distributors (UID), which owns the distribution centers Marston, Orca Book Services and Turpin Distribution, along with Eurospan, a sales and marketing agency for international academic and professional publishers. The merger comes as UID opens a new warehouse in South East England to consolidate its distribution centers. IPG will bring their ebook platform and digital printing solutions to the UK companies. They proclaim in the announcement that, “The combined entities will offer the most comprehensive platform of global services ever created to provide a seamless integration of sales, marketing, print and distribution […]
International News
Distribution: Ingram Adds POD in Japan
Ingram’s print-on-demand business Lightning Source has partnered with Dai Nippon Printing to expand its global POD and distribution capacities to Japan, “enabling books within [their] catalog to be accessed, printed and delivered in the local bookselling markets quickly,” Ingram svp of content acquisition, international David Taylor said. “This is an unprecedented advantage for the Japanese publishing sector,” DNP senior corporate officer, general manager of publishing innovation operations Nobuyuki Asaba said. “Publishers will now be able to sell and export in several new countries through DNP and exponentially increase their print on demand catalog. Japanese consumers will now be able to […]
Rooney Won’t License New Novel to An Israeli Publisher
Author Sally Rooney confirmed that she has “chosen not to sell” the translation rights to her latest novel, BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU “to an Israeli-based publishing house,” in support of the Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) Palestinian-led boycott of Israeli companies and institutions. Rooney wrote in a statement shared by her agent, Tracy Bohan at The Wylie Agency, that she aligns with reports that “confirmed what Palestinian human rights groups have long been saying: Israel’s system of racial domination and segregation against Palestinians meets the definition of apartheid under international law.” She notes, “I understand that not everyone will […]
PRH US Has Record Level of Export Sales
In a session at the virtual Frankfurt Conference, Penguin Random House svp, international sales and marketing Cyrus Kheradi shared that in the past year and half, the company “reached a record level of export sales for Penguin Random House US in all of our history.” As in the US, lockdowns worldwide created increased demand for books in English language markets, and Kheradi reported that PRH US saw double digit growth in many of their export markets, with the highest growth in the UK, Australia, Germany, France, India, Philippines, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. That’s in line with the AAP’s just-published annual […]
Politikens Expands Into Norway With Acquisition
Danish publisher JP/Politikens has acquired a 70 percent stake in Norwegian nonfiction publishers Kagge and J.M. Stenersens, which together comprise Norway’s fifth largest publishing group. Politikens says the acquisition “fulfills its ambition to create a significant Scandinavian publishing group with strong, independent publishers in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.” They established Polaris in Sweden in 2017, and acquired Swedish nonfiction publishing house Roos & Tegnér in early 2021. Kagge and J.M. Stenersens will continue to function as independent publishers and Jorunn Sandsmark will remain publishing director. Kagge founder Erling Kagge continues as publisher, board member, and co-owner with the remaining 30 percent […]
Prior to Take Over As CEO of Pan Macmillan
Longtime managing director of Penguin General Books in the UK Joanna Prior has been named the new ceo of Pan Macmillan. Longtime ceo Anthony Forbes Watson “decided that the time has come for him to make room for a fresh pair of eyes and to give him time to pursue other interests” and will step down early next year. He will serve as an advisor to Stefan von Holtzbrinck and the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. Macmillan ceo Don Weisberg says in the announcement: “Joanna’s reputation as an industry trailblazer is far-reaching. Her blend of creative talent and commercial acumen is evident […]