ECW Press moves to U.S.-based distribution

TORONTO. May 16, 2008. Effective June 1st, 2008, Chicago-based Independent Publishers Group (IPG) will handle all North American distribution for ECW Press. Jaguar Book Group has handled Canadian distribution for ECW since 2002.

Co-publisher David Caron describes the new arrangement as being “a win-win-win situation.” Jobs will be kept in Canada; Canadian Manda Group will continue to represent ECW; and books shipped to Canadian customers will still go through Fraser Direct. Fraser Direct will continue to provide some direct services to ECW. Bookstores can expect to benefit too, Caron adds, “because IPG has a very solid presence in Canada. We’re confident that booksellers will appreciate the high level of service IPG provides, while at the same time, being able to further consolidate their orders.” The savings for ECW will be substantial; “the cost of maintaining inventory in two places has been too high,” says Caron, “and in a time where maintaining lean inventory is vital, the move [to one warehouse] will eliminate cost of shipping inventory back and forth to fill retail demand.”

Book retailers should note that Independent Publishers Group will begin accepting ECW returns as of June 1st, 2008. However, returns will be accepted at Jaguar until August 31st, 2008.

ECW Press is one of the most diversified independent publishers in North America. ECW books are distributed throughout the English-speaking world and have been translated into dozens of languages. ECW is distributed in North America by Independent Publishers Group (IPG), in the United Kingdom and Europe by Turnaround Publisher Services and in New Zealand and Australia by UNIREPS.

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