The Bookseller.com

29th August 2008

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Book People buys Penguin's Index

21.09.07 Alison Flood

The Book People is to acquire Index, the direct sales company acquired by Penguin in 2005. Penguin will retain ownership of The Book Studio, the publisher and packager it acquired along with Index. The deal is scheduled to complete during October.

Penguin and The Book People are also finalising a deal which will see the book club division of The Book People becoming licensed to operated the Puffin Book Club, Penguin's direct schools channel, from January 2008.

Ted Smart, chairman of The Book People (which won the Direct to Consumer Bookselling Company of the Year category at the Bookseller Retail Awards 2007 last night), said: "Penguin has been our most important supplier for many years and today's announcement builds on that long-standing relationship. We have admired the Index business for some time and welcome the opportunity to develop its brands and performance further. Our business can grow faster by acquiring a company that brings non-book product and new customers to our organisation."

Seni Glaister, c.e.o. of The Book People and head of The Book Club Division, added: "We are committed to bringing the best books to school children through dedicated channels and I am delighted and excited by the prospect of working closely with the team at Puffin to increase sales in this market."

Penguin UK c.e.o. Peter Field said that Penguin was always looking at ways to sell more books in every channel. "Today's announcement will make Penguin and DK titles even more visible in this important sector," he said. "The Puffin Book Club will grow faster and reach more children with specialised and discrete support services."

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