Rowman & Littlefield’s acquisition strategy paid off in 2014 when revenue rose by 18% to $60.3 million, according to company CEO Jed Lyons.
During 2014, R&L purchased Globe Pequot in May, and the Alban Institute’s book business in January. The company also benefited from higher digital sales, which increased 27% over 2013 and represented 11.5% of publishing sales.
The company’s London office, opened in 2013 by former Continuum CEO Oliver Gadsby, moved to larger quarters in 2014 as the publishing team grew to a total of nine acquiring editors and sales staff. The division will release 100 titles this year under the Rowman & Littlefield International imprint.
According to Lyons, the company’s distribution businesses, NBN and NBNinternational in the U.K., had combined client net sales of $78 million, almost the same as in 2013.
Lyons called 2014 “our best year since the company was founded 39 years ago.”
