Holtzbrinck, Lightning Source Announce Digital Content Alliance

Posted on August 3, 2000

Lightning Source Inc. has announced an alliance with Holtzbrinck Publishers, the US publishing group which includes St. Martin's Press, Picador, Tor, Forge, Henry Holt, and Farrar, Straus & Giroux to become Holtzbrinck's primary provider of digital fulfillment services, including ``on demand'' printing and secure eBook delivery. In addition, Holtzbrinck's worldwide publishers such as Pan Macmillan and Palgrave will participate in this alliance.

Under the agreement, Lightning Source will provide print-on-demand, short-run, and galley printing services to Holtzbrinck, in addition to eBook conversion, storage, and fulfillment services. Many other leading publishers, including iPublish.com (Time Warner) and Simon & Schuster, have recently selected Ligtning Source for digital fulfillment services.

``We're tremendously excited to build a relationship with one of the world's largest and most respected publishers to offer a full complement of end-to-end digital fulfillment services,'' said Ed Marino, Lightning Source's President and CEO. ``This new agreement will utilize our ability to provide a one-stop digital solution for publishers around the world.''

``Lightning Source provides the infrastructure to usher a title through its entire life cycle, from initial galleys through 'on demand' printing, as well as secure eBook delivery in a variety of formats,'' said John Sargent, President, Holtzbrinck Publishers. Lightning Source offers s the collaboration we were looking for to take full advantage of the emerging technologies in the growing digital publishing arena.``