News | Jobs/Interns
The Quarto Group Acquires St. Paul-based Motor Books International
8/27/2007
For immediate release
Chanhassen, MN (August 27, 2007) – The Quarto Group Inc. announced today the acquisition of St. Paul-based Motor Books International (MBI Publishing Company LLC) effective August 27, 2007.
The announcement has been made by Laurence F. Orbach, chairman and chief executive of The Quarto Group. Ken Fund, president and CEO of Quarto's Massachusetts-based Quayside Publishing Group will oversee MBI’s operations.
For several years Quarto has focused its growth strategy on making acquisitions. “Today’s purchase is an excellent way to further the overall strategy of the Quayside Publishing Group which is on track to become the publisher and distributor of choice for books for enthusiasts across all niche categories,” says Laurence Orbach.
“Motorbooks has an extremely well respected name in the transportation category, and is one of the best-defined brands in publishing,” says Ken Fund. “I am thrilled with the acquisition, and the opportunity to lead a company with such an established reputation and deliberate publishing strategy. In addition to its success in the traditional book trade, MBI has generated significant revenues from the highly profitable automotive, farm and hobby channels, as Quayside has done within the home improvement, outdoor and craft channels. Both companies have long set the standard satisfying enthusiasts’ thirst for detail.”
MBI Publishing and its three imprints will integrate into the Quayside Publishing Group. MBI ranks as one of the 20 largest independent consumer publishers and is the largest with a pure play focus on the enthusiast. In 2005, MBI Publishing Company celebrated its 40th anniversary, and today they offer more than 8,000 book and calendar titles across a wide range of subjects including cars, motorsports, motorcycles, tractors, railroads, racing, travel, nature, military history, aviation, country living, and Americana. They publish more than 200 books per year under three core imprints: Motorbooks, Voyageur Press and Zenith Press. Recent bestsellers include Muscle: America’s Legendary Performance Cars, How to Repair Your Car, Ultimate Horse Barns, and Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle.
Distribution services are an important component of MBI’s business (MBI Distribution Services). In addition to the distribution of their own titles, MBI distributes more than two dozen specialist publishers. On average, MBI Distribution Services’ client publishers have been distributed by the company for more than a decade. In addition to its exclusive distribution relationships, MBI also takes advantage of its market position to wholesale books of other publishers into specialty channels. Tractor Supply Company (TSC), for which MBI serves as the category manager, is the company’s primary major wholesale account. “We look forward to building on the relationship MBI has forged with TSC and being their partner for a long time to come,” says Ken Fund.
Quayside Publishing Group (formed in 2004 upon Rockport Publishers’ acquisition of Creative Publishing international) encompasses five imprints: Creative Publishing international, Fair Winds Press, Quarry Books, Quiver and Rockport Publishers. Quayside currently publishes over 250 books a year in the graphic design, enthusiast and lifestyle categories. Recent bestsellers include The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, Black & Decker® The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair, Universal Principles of Design, SINGER Simple Sewing Guide and The Art of Fly Tying.
MBI’s warehouse operation will continue to be located in Osceola, Wisconsin. MBI’s CEO, Randy Roland, will leave the company to pursue new interests.
The Quayside Publishing Group is a subsidiary of The Quarto Group, Inc, a publicly traded publishing group (London Stock Exchange: QRT)
For more information contact Mary Aarons, Director of Marketing & Publicity
978-282-3550 -- mary@rockpub.com
Or
Susan Hershberg, Publicist
978-282-3511 -- susanh@rockpub.com
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