Kregel Publications has announced that beginning today, sales representation in the Christian-retail market for the Grand Rapids, Mich., publisher will be handled by the Inspirational Publishers Group (IPG). IPG also will share representation of titles from Kregel's Spanish division, Editorial Portavoz. Also in the Spanish-language Christian market, Editorial Unilit recently announced it would join IPG.

Editorial Unilit and the Kregel divisions join Crossway Books and Bibles, Moody Publishers, Multnomah Publishers and Regal Books at IPG. Each has already switched sales representation and intends to join IPG's one-box shipping program as well.

The one-box service—in which members' retailer deliveries and returns go as one shipment with one invoice—was a major factor in the signings, said IPG President Mark Hatch. “They felt it added to their opportunities.”

IPG was founded last fall as a division of GL Services and has telesales based in Tulsa, Okla., seven field representatives and distribution out of Cincinnati.

“We are acutely aware of the pressures and demands on (Christian) retailers and their resources, time and personnel, and have actively added programs to help ease those pressures,” said David Hill, executive director of sales and marketing for Kregel. “With IPG and GL Services, we have found another avenue to streamline and improve our sales and distribution contact with retailers.”

Joining IPG was “a no-brainer” for Editorial Unilit, said the company's vice president of sales and marketing, Luis Fernández. Reaching independent booksellers in the U.S. was “the most difficult for us, as an independent Spanish publisher, to reach.”

“We are pleased to be able to utilize the coordinated sales efforts of IPG to broaden and simplify our representation to (Christian) retailers, who remain the core focus of sales and marketing efforts for Kregel Publications,” said James R. Kregel, president.

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