MBI Publishing Company has acquired the assets of Bay View Books, one of Britain's largest automotive book publishers. Terms of the deal, which was concluded December 1, were not disclosed.
MBI (formerly known as Motorbooks International) had been Bay View's U.S. distributor; with the completion of the acquisition, MBI will move all of Bay View's operations to its Osceola, Wis., headquarters. Bay View's former owners, Charles and Brigid Herridge, as well as editorial director Mark Hughes, will serve as consultants. Bay View has a backlist of approximately 90 titles.
Tim Parker, CEO of MBI, told PW that he intends to retain Bay View as an imprint and may expand two of the company's most established series, the Original Series and the Essential Series. Parker estimated that between a gradual increase in Bay View's title output and additions to MBI's list, which currently features 100 titles per year, in a few years' time, MBI will be releasing 140 titles in the automotive field.
