Borders Forms Alliance with Ingram For Fulfillment Services

Posted on March 16, 2001

Borders Group announced that it has signed an agreement with Ingram Book Group to make Ingram the primary provider of book fulfillment services for Borders Group's special order and online sales. The transaction includes the sale to Ingram of a large percentage of the book inventory housed in Borders Group's Fulfillment Center in La Vergne, Tenn., which currently handles the function to be assumed by Ingram.

With the agreement, the online and special order book fulfillment services will be transitioned to Ingram beginning immediately. Upon completion of the transition, expected within the second quarter of 2001, Ingram will fulfill book special orders for Borders and Waldenbooks stores as well as online orders.

Borders plans to keep the La Vergne facility open as the company realigns its distribution assets, an ongoing initiative for the next 12 months. The facility will use the additional processing capacity resulting from the Ingram agreement to support other products and retail store growth. Associates will be assigned alternative duties or transitioned to other facilities on the company's distribution campus in La Vergne.

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group employs 30,000 worldwide and operates 335 Borders domestic superstores, 31 Books etc. locations, 869 Waldenbooks stores and Borders.com. Ingram Book Group, which is based in La Vergne, Tenn., is a wholesaler of trade books, spoken audio and magazines.