The Quarto Group

The Quarto Group
Quarto Logo
Parent company The Quarto Group
Founded 1976 (as The Quarto Group)
Founders Bob Morley, Michael Jackson, Laurence Orbach[1]
Country of origin United Kingdom
Headquarters location Islington
London
Revenue Increase $ 172.6 million (2014)
Official website www.quarto.com

The Quarto Group (LSE: QRT) is an international publishing house based in London, New York City and Hong Kong known for its illustrated books. It was established in London in 1976 by co-founders Laurence Orbach and Robert Morley and was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1986.[2] Laurence Orbach was the Chairman and CEO until November 2012, when he was replaced as a director by Tim Chadwick and Marcus Leaver as CEO.[3]

The company publishes books in 40 languages and sells internationally through its five co-companies: Quarto International Co-editions, UK; Quarto Publishing Group USA (previously known as Quayside); Quarto Publishing Group UK (previously known as Aurum), Books & Gifts Direct in Australia and New Zealand and Quarto Hong Kong. Distribution of the group's imprints in the UK, US, and Canada is handled by subsidiaries of Hachette.[4]

History

The Quarto Group was founded by Bob Morley, Michael Jackson, Laurence Orbach in the early 1970s and finally established as The Quarto Group in 1976 [5] . In 1986, Quarto listed on the London stock exchange.[6] By the late 1990s Quarto had acquired three new imprints, Rotovision, Book Sales Inc and Rockport Publishers and founded another four imprints, Quarto Children’s, Quintet and Aurum Press that published health, lifestyle and children’s. The group expanded further in the US – with the addition of Book Sales, Rockport Publishers, Walter Foster, Creative Publishing international, Motorbooks, and more recently Cool Springs Press. In the UK, Quarto grew by founding Aurum Press and aquiring Jacqui Small, Frances Lincoln and Wide Eyed Editions.[7][8] In the noughties, The Quarto Group had an increased imprints and genres and along with this, a steady increase in its share value[9] Then in 2012, Marcus Leaver became CEO of The Quarto Publishing group taking over from Tim Chadwick [10] In August 2011 it acquired independent UK book publisher Frances Lincoln for £4.5 million.[11] Following this, in 2012, Quarto Group made a profit of $11.4 million (£7.3 million) on revenue of $181 million (£116 million)[12] 2013 saw a restructure of The Quarto Group by creating and renaming four distinct businesses.[13] 2014 saw a growth in the acquisition of imprints, gaining four companies; Global Publishing, small world creations.[14] and words and pictures.[15] This helped the increase in share prices by 60% since 2010.[16]

Quarto International Co-Editions Group

Quarto International Co-editions Group creates illustrated books that are licensed and printed for third-party publishers for publication under their own imprints around the world. The division includes seventeen separate businesses; Quarto Publishing, Quarto Children's Books, words & pictures, Quid, Quintessence, Quintet Publishing, QED, RotoVision, Marshall Editions, Marshall Editions Children's Books, small world creations, Fine Wine Editions, Apple Press, Global Book Publishing, Iqon Editions, Ivy Press and Quantum Publishing. Book categories include practical art and crafts, graphic arts, lifestyle, reference, food and drink, gardening and popular culture.[17]

Quarto Publishing Group USA

Quarto Publishing Group USA, formed in 2004, creates and publishes illustrated books in North America and sells co-editions of them internationally. Fifteen imprints comprise the division: Book Sales, Cool Springs Press, Creative Publishing international, Fair Winds Press, Motorbooks, Quarry Books, QDS, Quiver, Race Point Publishing, Rock Point Gift & Stationery, Rockport Publishers, Voyageur Press, Walter Foster Publishing, Walter Foster Jr., and Zenith Press. Subject categories include home improvement, gardening, practical arts and crafts, licensed children's books, transportation, graphic arts, food and drink, sports, military history, Americana, health and body, lifestyle, pets, and music.[18]

Quarto Publishing Group UK

Quarto Publishing Group UK was founded in 1976. It creates and publishes general non-fiction and illustrated books in the UK market. The division comprises five imprints: Aurum Press, Frances Lincoln Publishers, Frances Lincoln Children's Books, Jacqui Small and Wide Eyed Editions. Book categories include history, entertainment, home decorating, food and drink, lifestyle, gardening, health and beauty, sport, outdoor activities and children's books.[19]

Imprints

The group's imprints include:

References

  1. "The Quarto Group (UK): The Quarto Story". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. "The Quarto Group, Inc. | Company Background for Sales Preparation". Hoover's Company Profiles. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  3. "Orbach removed as Quarto director". The Bookseller. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  4. Farrington, Joshua (20 June 2013). "Quarto consolidates distribution". The Bookseller. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  5. "Return and Declaration Delivered for Registration by Oversea Company (UK): beta.companieshouse.gov.uk". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  6. "The Quarto Grp Inc.". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. "Analyst Research Report Snapshot". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  8. Page, Benedicte (January 25, 2013). "Aurum Publishing Group Created". The Bookseller. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  9. "Quarto Group Shares". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  10. "Directors & Dealings". Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  11. Neill, Graeme (16 August 2011). "Quarto Snaps-up Frances Lincoln". The Bookseller. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  12. Farringdon, Joshua (12 March 2013). "Quarto Looks to Cut Debt After 2012 revenue fall". Bookseller. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  13. Farringdon, Joshua (12 March 2013). "Quarto Looks to Cut Debt After 2012 revenue fall". Bookseller. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  14. Eyre, charlotte (16 October 2014). "Quarto predicts annual profits 122m". The Bookseller. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  15. Eyre, charlotte (4 April 2014). "Williams made Frances Lincoln publisher". The Bookseller. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  16. Lee, John (2 February 2015). "Two Chief Executives Who Could make a Big Impact". The Financial Times. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  17. "The Quarto Group (UK): The Quarto Story". Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  18. "The Quarto Group (UK): The Quarto Story". Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  19. "The Quarto Group (UK): The Quarto Story". Retrieved 5 February 2016.

External links

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