Air Business wins distribution deal with UK publishing giant

Air Business, the UK-based periodicals delivery specialist owned by Ireland’s An Post, has won a major deal with one of Britain’s largest magazine publishers. The two-year deal will begin on January 1, 2012, and will involve international distribution for the publisher’s entire stable of 60 consumer magazine titles to subscribers.

London-based IPC Media, which is owned by US media giant Time Warner, sells 350m magazines a year, with titles including Marie Claire, In Style, Woman’s Weekly, TV Times, Country Homes and NME.

Air Business has been running a trial delivering the publisher’s weekly time-sensitive and monthly titles. It said the “steady stream” of positive responses from subscribers led to IPC Media’s decision to move its whole portfolio to Air Business.

Under the deal, IPC Media will continue to use the Quadrant subscription management bureau, which Air Business acquired from business publishing house Reed Business Information back in June.

Adam Sherman, managing director at St Albans-based Air Business Group, said: “I was absolutely delighted that IPC Media has placed its trust in Air Business, and that our relentless focus on quality and excellent customer service has paid off in what has been a very challenging and commoditised marketplace.”

Kevin Lamb, acting head of marketing operations at IPC Media, said: “It was clear from the early stages of our trial that Air Business had a very strong focus on quality of service to our customers and we’re really pleased to make them the sole provider of our international postal distribution.”