Same-day shipping of print-on-demand books for Christian stores will be available from STL Distribution North America (STLD), from next year.

The service will result from a three-way initiative involving the Elizabethton, Tenn.-based distributor, printer Dickinson Press and technology firm Snowfall Press.

"This ground-breaking alliance will change the landscape of Christian book publishing and distribution markets," said STLD President Glenn Bailey in a statement announcing the move. "The alliance enables us to provide same day turn-around of orders--even for out-of-print books--and will give authors and publishers access to a broader range of distribution channels than were previously available."

Expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2011, the service will give retailers access to thousands of digitally stored titles available for immediate printing-one at a time, if desired. Orders received by 1 p.m. can shipped the same day.

STLD will build a dedicated print facility at its distribution center for the system that will be purchased and managed by Dickinson Press. Snowfall Press will oversee the build-out and integration of the system, which will enable automation from the uploading of files through to printing, binding and shipping.

"Snowfall's unique integrated digital-book printing technology will allow us to cost-effectively print only what's immediately needed-reducing overhead and inventory costs," said Jim Pentecost, president and CEO of Dickinson Press. "We believe this technology will revolutionize the book publishing and printing industry by driving faster times to market at lower operational costs, resulting in greater profits for all parties involved."

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