IDG Books, publisher of the popular "For Dummies" series, has announced its plan to open a 250,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art distribution center in Harrisonburg, Va.
Set to open by the end of the year, the facility will be built by Banta Book Group, IDG's longtime supplier. It will sit next to the Banta printing plant and handle not only the shipping of all IDG titles but also all the company's returns. IDG reported that the facility will be able to handle 16 million books.
IDG executive vice-president John Ball told PW that the new arrangement d s not reflect a dissatisfaction with PRI, IDG's current distributor. Rather, the company wanted to bring all its operations under one roof (it currently leases a 100,000-sq.-ft. space in Indianapolis). "As we grow as a company, a dedicated facility is going to be beneficial for us," Ball said. According to Ball, the new facility will allow for overnight shipping to most cities in the South, Northeast and Midwest. The building will carry expansion capabilities of up to 500,000 sq. ft.
