HarperCollins Christian Publishing has placed Thomas Nelson's 277,000-square-foot distribution center in Nashville up for sale. The distribution center is due to close by next spring, resulting in 102 employees being laid off, according to The Tennessean.

HarperCollins Christian Publishing Director of Corporate Communications Casey Harrell told Christian Retailing that no date had been set for the closing of the warehouse.

"As part of the announced strategic plan in November 2012, the company has begun marketing the availability of its distribution center," Harrell said. "Last year, it was released that in order to better align with HarperCollins Publishers' global print platform and supply chain agreement, we would be closing the facility during the winter of 2013.

"This does not apply to the corporate offices as they will remain the headquarters for HarperCollins Christian Publishing, which includes Thomas Nelson," Harrell added. "We remain committed to our plan of a winter closure. Currently, we have 102 employees that work in the warehouse."

Last fall, HarperCollins Christian signed an agreement with R.R. Donnelley—the longtime printer for the majority of HarperCollins books—to handle warehousing and distribution services for all of its titles nationwide, The Tennessean reported.

Zondervan, Thomas Nelson's sister company under the umbrella of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, recently sold its former warehouse and distribution center in Grand Rapids, Mich., but kept its headquarters there. Zondervan had vacated the warehouse and distribution center, laying off 75 employees last summer.

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