Disticor Magazine Distribution Services, an international distributor of Canadian, American and British magazines, has purchased Marginal Distribution in a deal that closes September 1.

As the name implies, Marginal specializes in the Canadian distribution of books and magazines from independent, alternative and small publishers, both Canadian and international. Marginal will move into Disticor's offices and will begin processing orders from that location in September. It will become a division of Doormouse Distribution, a company Disticor purchased in 2000.

Mark Lafranier, Disticor's president and COO, said that there is no plan to make any changes with respect to Marginal's book distribution operation. Esther Vincent and Ryan Kerr, Marginal's current owners, will stay on in a sales and marketing capacity.