CHICAGO, March 19, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Readerlink Distribution Services, LLC (“RDS“) and TNG GP (“TNG“), have entered into an agreement whereby RDS will acquire TNG GP’s U.S. book business. Upon the closing of the transaction, which is scheduled to occur June 2, 2014, RDS will become the exclusive book provider for TNG’s U.S. customer base and will support assortment curation, supply, inventory management and marketing of books for customers of TNG.

Likewise, under the terms of a strategic alliance effective upon the same date, TNG shall become RDS’s primary merchandising services partner for certain existing RDS customers. As part of the strategic alliance, to ensure continuity of service, substantially all RDS field merchandising employees will be immediately transferred to, and hired by, TNG upon closing of the transaction.

Benefits to TNG’s book customers include best-in-class book program management and additional resources, including an expanded portfolio of products and services that address bookselling’s evolution—better product curating to optimize space and sell-thru by leveraging data and tools previously not available, an eBook solution, print on demand capability and physical product online fulfillment.

Benefits to RDS’s customers include more streamlined delivery and returns handling, more effective merchandising at store level, and more local merchandising management presence.

Benefits to publishers include better data-driven program consistency, better sell-thru, streamlined freight and operational processes, and reduced overall costs.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to work with TNG to enhance our support to our current and new retail partners,” said Dennis Abboud, ReaderLink’s President and C.E.O. “Our scale, focus on the category and strategic emphasis on addressing the evolution of bookselling will undoubtedly help both our customers and our publishing partners prosper in an ever-changing bookselling landscape.”

Said David Parry, TNG’s President, “We believe that the strategic alliance with ReaderLink will be greatly beneficial to our collective retailer and publisher partners. ReaderLink’s scale, innovation and leading-edge technology, coupled with our large dedicated merchandising team, local management infrastructure and institutional knowledge of book merchandising, will be a combination that will be hard to beat”.

RDS customers currently serviced and/or supplied by Source Interlink Distribution (“Source”) will continue to be serviced and/or supplied by Source.

About ReaderLink Distribution Services

Readerlink Distribution Services, LLC is the largest full-service book distributor in North America, selling approximately one out of every three trade books, and is a recognized leader in distribution logistics, value-added category management services, field services and business analytics. ReaderLink’s solutions include full-service print book distribution, online print book distribution, print on demand and e-book fulfillment. ReaderLink is located in Oak Brook, IL. For more information, go to www.ReaderLink.com.

About TNG

TNG GP is North America’s largest and most trusted supplier of periodicals with over 100 years of experience in the industry. TNG operates in all 50 states in the U.S. and in Canada. TNG is also a rapidly growing supplier of merchandising and logistics services for retailers and manufacturers in North America. TNG is proud to be a member of the Jim Pattison Group of Companies. Headquartered in Vancouver BC, Canada the Pattison Group of Companies has a strong and positive market reputation, with most companies taking leadership status within their respective industry. For more information please visit www.tng.com.

Press Contacts

Sasha Quinton
Readerlink Distribution Services, LLC
708-356-3682
squinton@readerlink.com

Michael Rogge
TNG GP
770-863-9000 ext. 9010
mrogge@tng.com

Media Contact: Sasha Quinton, Readerlink Distribution Services LLC, 708-356-3682, squinton@readerlink.com

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SOURCE Readerlink Distribution Services LLC