Following the part-acquisition of Worldwide Book Services in October 2021, Woodland Group and WBS have focussed on building a new and comprehensive supply chain offering dedicated to the media and publishing industry that will help alleviate the stresses felt by the sector at present. Having first integrated IT systems and data points and merged global reach and local knowledge across sourcing, customs, transport, carbon-conscious solutions, and dedicated distribution, the companies leant on Woodland Group’s significant and growing fulfilment capabilities to jointly launch a forward-thinking fulfilment offering dedicated to the media and publishing industry.

Since launching the new fulfilment offering, global publisher TSO was onboarded to have the DSVA’s UK bestselling book distributed to members of the public, instructors and trainers, companies ordering copies for their drivers and riders, public libraries, road safety and transport organisations, independent bookstores, right up to huge shipments to large High Street and online bookstores. The first month saw 141,063 titles dispatched to over 17,913 destinations across the world.

"Woodland Group's fulfilment offering has seen significant growth over the last 7 years. Thanks to 30+ years' experience delivering the publishing sector, further strengthened by the acquisition of Worldwide Book Services, we can now take our sustainable, forward-thinking and digital solutions, and learnings from many other sectors, to deliver a strong, agile supply chain to publishers, printers and other sector stakeholders, allowing them to find opportunity through services and markets they may not have been able to reach before. We will continue to expand our capacity over the next 18 months and look forward to being able to serve even more businesses in delivering their future supply chains.", Luke Fermor, Global Head of Fulfilment Woodland Group, added.
From printing press to in the press...
.. the newly launched closed-loop supply chain solution to the media and publishing industry now delivers:

• Export consolidation programmes across the USA, UK, Asia and beyond

• Dedicated solutions for printers/publishers and distributors/sellers alike from sourcing to distribution

• Bespoke export book software enabling customers to be agile in their decision-making and track from print to end customer globally

• Ability to merge B2B and B2C in our facilities worldwide, reducing handling, cost, and carbon footprint in supply chain as a result.

• Import system to check in at book/PO level before using consolidation services across EU to improve reliability, distribute costs and improve efficiency (with our advanced carbon calculator guiding you on your reduced footprint) 

• Clearance and documentation processes specific to the industry

• 1M+ dedicated warehouse space across the UK, USA, and Europe

• National and international direct mailing service

• Best in class domestic and other global postage solutions

• Sustainable Packaging advice and bespoke supply service dedicated to the publishing industry

• Hand finished and automated packing services

• E-commerce integration with all major shopping carts and online retailers

• Management of files from single units to 40,000+ subscription orders

• Receipt and processing of files on a state of the art, owned and developed WMS

• Real-time stock reporting, synergising stock with other services, online portals

• 24/7 instant access to full supply chain ecosystem

• Sorting and labelling

• Special packaging (gift wrapping paper)

• Designing, printing, and assembling of mailing inserts

• Assembling (price, barcode labelling, shrink-wrapping, adding sleeves, labelling, etc.)

• Global returns management solutions

• Bespoke tracking system to trace by title / ISBN

• Carbon-conscious fulfilment and distribution alternatives

• Green warehousing options powered by renewable energy and entirely packaging-free

“The brand-new Highway Code landing on our new warehousing partners Woodland Group and WBS so soon after launching their dedicated storage and fulfilment must have been daunting. Folks there worked long hours and much of their nights and weekends last week to make sure no customers for the UK’s number 1 bestselling book were disappointed. That sort of dedication on behalf of customers is exactly what our partnership is all about. So, thanks and congratulations to Woodland Group and WBS from us on an important job very well done.”, Bill Pope, Head of Publishing at DVSA, commented.

Johann Visagie, General Manager of Worldwide Book Services, "We're really proud to have built and rolled out this fulfilment solution successfully in such a short time. Joining forces with Woodland Group has allowed us to combine our knowledge, IT and infrastructure to deliver a full 360 supply chain solution to the media and publishing industry. As a longstanding, key partner to the industry, it's fantastic to see our extended network benefit and grow through this latest solution offering."