Langenscheidt Agrees to Buy Berlitz Publishing
by Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 2/18/2002
The Langenscheidt Publishing Group has added to its line of travel products with an agreement to acquire the publishing assets of Berlitz International. In addition to the acquisition of the company's titles, the deal gives Langenscheidt the right to use the Berlitz name and trademarks in its consumer publications. Berlitz has a backlist of more than 590 titles in 21 product lines and eight language markets. The publishing group is best known for its phrase books and pocket guides.
With sales of about $10 million, the publishing group was only a small part of Berlitz's overall operation, which focuses on language instruction and translation services. The publishing group is currently based at Berlitz's headquarters in Princeton, N.J., and Stuart Dolgins, president of Langenscheidt Publishers, said the editorial team will be moved to Union, N.J., the site of its Hammond division. Ellen Adler, v-p of publishing for Berlitz, will be staying with the company to help with the transition to Langenscheidt, but she will not be making the move to Union. Dolgins said he is looking for a person to head the unit, and is leaning toward promoting some one from within Berlitz.
The Munich-based Langenscheidt's U.S. holdings include the Insight Guides travel series, Hammond atlases, and the ADC, American Map, Arrow and Hagstrom Map operations.
