Prima Moves Distribution to S&S

-- Publishers Weekly, 8/2/1999

Simon & Schuster has signed its third distribution agreement this year, inking a deal last week to provide fulfillment and billing services for Prima Publishing. S&S will take over distribution duties from Random House beginning October 1. Prima will continue to use its own sales force for its various lines. Earlier this year, S&S signed distribution deals with National Geographic and Reader's Digest Children's Publishing. An S&S spokesperson said the company continues to "actively seek" additional clients.

The switch of distributors comes during another year of solid gains at Prima. Matt Carleson, Prima's COO, told PW that the company expects to finish the fiscal year ending October 31, 1999, with strong double-digit growth.

He reported that sales at all four of the publisher's divisions -- Prima Health, Prima Lifestyles, Prima Games and Prima Tech -- are ahead of last year's pace, with Prima Tech enjoying the largest percentage gain. The division publishes computer and technology books and recently moved its offices from Prima's headquarters in Rocklin, Calif., to Indianapolis, Ind. The move came shortly after Prima hired Stacy Hiquet from Macmillan to become publisher of Prima Tech. (Macmillan's computer-book publishing operations are also centered in Indianapolis.)