Ingram Entertainment Inc., the leading national distributor of home entertainment products, announced Thursday that it has purchased certain assets of the Baker & Taylor, LLC entertainment products distribution business, such as retail customer agreements for the purchase of video and audio music products. The purchase, which does not involve book products or the Baker & Taylor businesses that provide support and services to public libraries, retail booksellers and publishers, was effective January 11, 2019. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
David Ingram, Chairman of Ingram Entertainment, said structural changes in the physical home entertainment marketplace led to a deal with Baker & Taylor.
“Acquiring these entertainment assets of Baker & Taylor will enhance our financial performance by enabling us to process more units through our existing facilities throughout the country. Those efficiencies will better position us to work with our suppliers to provide our retailers – including former Baker & Taylor retail entertainment customers – with the products they need for the success of their businesses. In short, we look forward to the opportunities this transaction provides for our suppliers, customers, and associates,” said Ingram.
Bob Webb, Ingram Entertainment’s President and CEO, noted that “Baker & Taylor has been a respected competitor and a valued contributor to the home entertainment products distribution business for many years. Ingram Entertainment looks forward to the opportunity to increase our sales of products to video, audio music and online retailers. Webb also expressed appreciation to all the personnel at both Ingram Entertainment and Baker & Taylor who assisted in the purchase and will be assisting in the transition.”
Both Ingram and Webb stressed that Ingram Entertainment will work to make the switch for customers as seamless as possible.
“The sale of our retail entertainment assets to Ingram Entertainment will allow both companies to bring greater value to customers through the strengths of our respective wholesale distribution businesses,” said David Cully, President of Baker & Taylor. “For Baker & Taylor, that means delivering the most innovative and efficient content distribution services to our retail, public library and publisher service customers everywhere.”
Ingram Entertainment Inc. is a financially secure, highly diversified, leading national distributor of home entertainment products in the United States, based in LaVergne, TN (Nashville). The company distributes video products (DVD and Blu-ray), video game hardware, software and accessories, mobile accessories, audio music products, audiobooks and licensed merchandise from six distribution centers throughout the United States. Ingram offers a large product selection, a full array of marketing programs, support services for online retailers, complete and up-to-date product information, and an award winning b2b website. IEI associates, who average over 20 years in the entertainment business, have the experience and ability to adapt to an ever-changing landscape, which gives its customers the edge to remain successful.
