Quarto Group has changed the name of its Rockport Publishers unit to Quayside Publishing Group and announced that all distribution for the group will be handled by Creative Publishing international, the how-to publisher acquired by Quarto in July (News, July 19). In addition to CPi, the newly renamed Quayside group includes the Rockport Publishers imprint, Fair Winds Press, Quarry Books and the U.K.—based RotoVision. F&W Publications had distributed all but the CPi titles, and will stop processing orders December 31. CPi will take over all sales and distribution functions January 1, under the direction of sales director Kevin Haas. Amy DiGiovanni, who had been director of North American sales for Rockport, will join the CPi sales team.
In remarks accompanying an update on nine-month results, Quarto reported that CPi as well as the smaller Aurum Press, which was also bought in July, contributed £2.2 million since being acquired thus summer. The company said it is continuing to look for other acquisition opportunities. For the nine-month period, total sales rose 3.5%, to £56. 7 million ($104 million), and pre-tax profits increased 17.7%, to £3.7 million.
