Independent Publishers Group (US-based IPG) is pleased to announce that it has acquired United Independent Distributors (UK-based UID).

This global merger includes the acquisition of Eurospan, the UK’s leading sales and marketing agency for international academic and professional publishers, and the distribution centres, Marston, Orca, and Turpin. This expands on IPG’s core business of providing publisher services to high-quality independent publishers from around the world.

The timing of the merger coincides with the opening of a brand new state-of-the-art warehouse facility in South East England where the distribution centres will be consolidated. Eurospan will retain its central London headquarters.

IPG will gain new core competencies, such as Eurospan’s global network of sales and marketing channels, and Turpin’s renowned journals business. The UK entities likewise gain IPG’s proprietary eBook platform and robust digital print solutions. 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 to our ever-expanding lists of international publishers.

IPG CEO, Joe Matthews: “This historic merger provides exciting new opportunities to our publishing partners on both sides of the Atlantic, and creates an unrivalled menu of services to drive sales. I could not imagine a better way to celebrate IPG’s 50-year anniversary.”

UID COO, Mark Chaloner: “This exciting new partnership enables the combined UID companies to step up to the next level and will provide a truly global reach to all our publishing clients”.

About Independent Publishers Group: In 2021, Independent Publishers Group (IPG) celebrates its 50th anniversary. As the original North American distributor, IPG was founded specifically to represent titles from independent publishers to the book trade. Today IPG remains committed to reimagining distribution and has grown to provide its publishers with services ranging from pre-publication consultation, global sales, marketing and publicity, supply chain, print and digital distribution, data and reporting, to print brokerage.