DNP to Participate in Ingram Content Group’s Global Connect® Program

In fields such as specialist and academic books, stable demand exists in Japan for works published overseas, based on the desire to read original manuscripts in the language in which they were written. Traditionally, however, the import of books from overseas has entailed great time and cost. In addition, titles of self-published works and those from outside the English-speaking world have seen only small volumes. And as these have been difficult to procure at many bookstores the number of titles available for consumers to purchase have been limited.

In response to this situation, Global Connect program has reduced the time and cost of transportation, and through alliances with printers around the world, books from countries and in languages that were difficult to obtain are now available, in a varied selection and timely manner, to bookstores and to consumers in Japan.

In answer to the challenge of the loss of sales opportunities as a result of inventory shortages, DNP has cooperated with bookstores to provide a POD manufacturing and distribution system based on consumer needs, that incorporates the needs of the market into the process. We have created an environment in which consumers can obtain the book they want to read, when they want to read it, in the format in which they want to read it, otherwise referred to as Book Lifecycle Management (BLM)^*1. DNP has also established a sales route to meet the domestic demand for books from overseas, based on Maruzen-Yushodo which has a proven track record in importing academic books and marketing to university libraries and research institutions. In 2011, we commenced POD manufacturing and drop-shipping to consumers through a major overseas academic information publisher, and established a system for accepting orders of overseas books from even a single copy. We noticed that POD manufacturing was already well-advanced in the US and European book market in 2011, and we were an early participant in this market.

Our track record of engaging in the early building of a total on-demand ordering and manufacturing system, along with the product quality of our high level printing and book-binding technologies has been highly evaluated by Lightning Source, which led to the signing of the partnership agreement.

Through DNP’s participation in Ingram’s Global Connect program, DNP will be able to offer for sale books in various genres and languages from publishers in countries and regions around the world. By offering these in Japan we will answer the needs of domestic consumers and rejuvenate the publishing business, possibly preventing the loss of sales.

DNP is also investigating the possibility of utilizing the manufacturing and distribution function of others in the Global Connect program to provide content licensed by Japanese publishers around the world. The Global Connect network includes high population states, such as the US, China, India, and Russia. As a result of these endeavours, the combined population of the top 15 countries accounting for more than half of all people on the face of the planet, now has access to the content provided by this business. Working with Lightning Source may create opportunities for new sales for publishing companies in possession of highly demanded contents, such as traditional Japanese culture and characters. And by providing an environment for the proper distribution of official contents, we will also contribute to the prevention of the spread of pirate editions.