Harvest House Publishers announced Wednesday that it has signed RR Donnelley as a third-party distribution provider to take over warehousing, fulfillment and distribution of its books and Bibles. This move means that Harvest House will soon cease distribution from its Eugene, Oregon, warehouse and will hopefully streamline delivery times.

Bob Hawkins Jr., president of Harvest House, explained the rationale for this decision.

“We are making strategic, forward-thinking changes that will enable Harvest House to stay strong and on the offensive for years to come, which includes moving our warehousing to the Midwest,” said Hawkins. “We want to intently focus our energies on publishing and allow the experts at RR Donnelley to manage our distribution. And so we are thrilled to enter into this long-term relationship with RR Donnelley, as it will greatly enhance our distribution service to our valued customers.”

Dan Knotts, RR Donnelley’s chief operating officer, articulated the value that RR Donnelley offers.

“Our specialized book fulfillment services are designed to offer publishers the ability to increase speed to market, reduce freight costs and improve efficiencies across the distribution process,” said Knotts. "We look forward to serving Harvest House Publishers with our integrated service platform and our extensive book fulfillment network that includes sophisticated logistics capabilities built to manage the unique distribution requirements of our publishing customers.”

The transition to utilizing RR Donnelley’s warehouse in Menasha, Wisconsin, will begin shortly, with inventory completely ready to ship before the end of 2015.

“We’re also putting a great deal of renewed energy into our editorial, sales and marketing efforts,” added Hawkins, “working to uniquely position ourselves and the relevant products we offer to a world that needs to hear the Good News.”

Along those lines, Harvest House is looking to expand its sales department with new hires in key positions. One such hire, Ken Lorenz, joined Harvest House Sept. 13 as director of sales/CBA division. Ken brings to his new role a wealth of experience, including leadership positions in sales at Gospel Light, Standard Publishing and David C Cook.

Brad Moses, vice president of sales at Harvest House, was pleased to add Lorenz to his team.

“Ken’s capabilities and experience will greatly benefit not only Harvest House, but more importantly, our retail and distributor partners,” said Moses. “He is definitely the right person at the right time to lead us into a period of innovation, creativity and growth. We are thrilled to have someone of his caliber, a man with the highest integrity, a strong work ethic and an infectious enthusiasm that will benefit all who interact with him.”

For his part, Lorenz was excited about the position as well.

“I am as excited as I have ever been in my career coming to work at Harvest House,” said Lorenz. “The reputation of Harvest House, the quality of the people and the rich product content makes coming at this time a true blessing from the Lord. I so look forward to continuing to work with many of my friends in the CBA industry.”

In addition, a company-wide commitment to new acquisitions strategies strengthens Harvest House’s success in publishing. LaRae Weikert commented on these policies.

“I’m excited about the new lines and initiatives we have in development,” said Weikert. “They will bring focus and innovation to the unique niches Harvest House fills in the industry.”

“The strategic changes we’re making now will position us very well for the future,” added Hawkins. “Yet even amid these changes, we will stay true to our mission: To provide high-quality books and products that proclaim Jesus Christ as the answer to every human need. That is the heartbeat of who we are.”

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