InterVarsity Press (IVP-USA) announced Friday a new distribution agreement with the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK). IVP-USA’s stock will be available through Macmillan Distribution Limited (MDL), and SPCK will offer sales representation to key accounts and local shops in the U.K. and mainland Europe.

Previously IVP-USA was represented in Europe by InterVarsity Press in the United Kingdom (IVP-UK) through their partnership distribution program. In October, IVP-UK came under the management of SPCK and retained its current board of trustees in a newly established IVP-UK publishing board. Additionally, IVP-UK area development managers Samantha Cheddie and Julian Gittings will continue their work with existing customers under SPCK’s management.

IVP-USA and IVP-UK have their roots in the International Fellowship for Evangelical Students, known in the U.S. as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and in the U.K. as the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship. They have historically been linked as the primary publishers in the U.S. and U.K., respectively, for authors like John Stott and series like New Studies in Biblical Theology and The Bible Speaks Today.

Jeff Crosby, associate publisher and head of international sales for IVP-USA, said the SPCK partnership was a necessary shift.

“As with the US market, the changes sweeping through the UK book landscape call for adaptive leadership, and we are grateful for the work of SPCK in welcoming us into their fold and offering a new paradigm of representation and distribution that will provide a win-win model,” Crosby said.

Sam Richardson, CEO of SPCK, commented on the new arrangement.

“This more focused sales relationship ensures our ability to maximize the sales of IVP and our smaller number of partners … while also keeping the highly respected and effective sales team of Julian and Samantha on the road,” Richardson said.

Bob Fryling, IVP-USA’s publisher, also praised the agreement.

“IVP-USA is delighted to forge this new partnership and synergy with SPCK,” Fryling said.

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