To serve its expanding distribution business, Simon & Schuster is opening its second warehouse, in Milan, Tenn. The 300,000-square-foot facility will open officially on January 2. S&S also has the Riverside Distribution Center in Delran, N.J., which it expanded two years ago by 200,000 square feet to 712,000 square feet.
In connection with the new warehouse, Chris Wagner has joined S&S as v-p, general manager warehouse operations, reporting to Dave Schaeffer, v-p, distribution and fulfillment. Wagner was formerly v-p of distribution and general manager of operations at the Perseus distribution facilities in Jackson, Tenn., which is about 25 miles from Milan.
S&S president and CEO Carolyn Reidy commented: "By opening this new facility we are embarking on an important new era in Simon & Schuster's distribution business, building upon our well-known commitment to distribution and the important role it plays in Simon & Schuster's overall business."
S&S Publisher Services v-p, general manager Michael Perlman added: "Opening the Milan facility aligns perfectly with our ambitious goals for growth in distribution. Milan provides a central geographic location and a workforce already experienced in book distribution that will allow us to deliver our first-rate services to an even larger family of distribution clients, and our customers, all within the existing Simon & Schuster sales and operations infrastructure. It is an exciting opportunity and we look forward to significant growth in this new facility."
S&S Publisher Services has some 50 distribution clients, including Andrews McMeel, Baen, Baseball America, Gallup, Hazelden Publishing, Insight Editions, Kaplan Publishing, Meadowbrook Press, Open Road, Reader's Digest, Regan Arts, Tuttle, Viz Media, Weldon Owen and the World Almanac.