Ingram expands with new UK distribution centre

US-based Ingram Content Group will open a new distribution centre in Milton Keynes later this year under plans to move distribution operations from Plymouth. 

Located around two miles from the current Ingram-owned Lightning Source UK facility, Ingram says the new 96,000 sq ft facility will “better integrate its book distribution services (via NBNi) with print-on-demand services (via Lightning Source).” 

Under the arrangement, NBNi, Ingram’s Plymouth-based global physical and digital book distributor, will move distribution operations to Milton Keynes. A staged transition will begin in the latter half of 2019 and complete in early 2020. 

NBNi’s experienced client services, publisher services, IT and finance staff currently based in Plymouth will remain in Plymouth. 

The new facility will allow Ingram to move its full-service sales and distribution business, Ingram Publisher Services International (which has been outsourcing the distribution warehouse needs to Grantham Book Services), into the same location beginning in early 2020 - allowing the consolidation of all of Ingram’s UK-based book distribution services into one Ingram-owned location. Ingram Publisher Services International's sales and marketing teams will remain in London. 

Ingram senior vice president for content acquisition international and m.d. of NBNi David Taylor said: “This visionary distribution model supports our long-term strategic goals for the UK market. With seamless and integrated digital and physical distribution located close to the print-on-demand services provided by Lightning Source UK, we can offer powerful and unique distribution services to customers across the UK and Europe.”