AMS Moves Into Distribution

Advanced Marketing Services, which for several years has been expanding beyond its traditional business of selling books to warehouse clubs in the U.S., has launched Advanced Global Distribution (AGD), a book distribution network specializing in small- and medium-sized publishers. AGD is headed by Jennifer Pierson, who joined AMS from Abbeville last year.

AGD's first two clients that are not AMS's proprietary imprints or distribution clients and that came with AMS acquisitions are Lobster Press (Montreal, Canada) and Dumont Monte (Cologne, Germany). Lobster Press publishes books for children and their caregivers. Dumont Monte offers illustrated books on lifestyle topics such as decorating, cooking and entertaining.

According to AMS president Michael Nicita, AGD will offer its clients distribution services in any geographic area where the company has a presence, which includes North America, the U.K. and Australia. While Nicita said AGD would prefer to represent clients globally, most of its discussions to date have involved companies looking for representation in particular markets. AMS began talking to publishers at last year's London Book Fair about AGD and Nicita said the company had "a very positive response" at the 2001 fair. Nicita told PW that one goal for 2001 is to become one of the top five distribution companies in the U.S.

In addition to operating four distribution centers in the U.S., two in Canada and one each in Mexico, the U.K., Australia and Singapore, AGD has more than 100 reps calling on the book trade and a separate sales force for specialty markets. The company has also set up AGD Finance, a unit that will make available short-term financing for clients.