Effective April 1, Independent Publishers Group is providing North American sales and distribution for Albert Whitman & Company for all print titles. Effective immediately, IPG is providing North American sales and distribution for all Albert Whitman frontlist digital titles. The companies will also partner for Albert Whitman's initiatives in film and interactive media, forming a coordinated sales and marketing alliance.
Best known for its children's series the Boxcar Children Mysteries, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, Albert Whitman has handled its own distribution since its founding in 1919.
Albert Whitman president John Quattrocchi, commented: "We are proud to partner with a well-respected company with similar values and culture. This will allow us to better focus on our core strengths in developing the highest quality children's books and will enable us to explore other content media opportunities. Both Albert Whitman and IPG will positively engage and proactively challenge our respective business models for mutual strategic success."
IPG CEO Joe Matthews said, "Partnering with Albert Whitman is a tremendous growth opportunity for IPG, adding high quality, must-have titles to our list. Likewise, IPG's network of more than 10,000 active customers will open new doors to continue Albert Whitman's phenomenal success and growth."