Baker & Taylor
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Book distribution |
| Founded | 1828 |
| Fate | Retail entertainment division sold to Ingram Entertainment (2019); retail distribution discontinued (2019) |
| Headquarters | Charlotte , United States |
Area served | United States, global libraries |
Key people | Amandeep Kochar (President & CEO) |
| Products | Physical books, e-books, spoken-word audio, collection development and processing solutions for libraries |
| Owner | Private investment consortium led by Amandeep Kochar (since 2021) |
Number of employees | Approximately 3,750 (prior to 2016 acquisition) (2008) |
| Parent | Follett Corporation (2016–2021) |
| Website | www |
Baker & Taylor, a book distributor with a history spanning nearly two centuries, caters to public and academic libraries as well as educational institutions. The company is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and is currently under the leadership of President & CEO Amandeep Kochar. Prior to being acquired by Follett in 2016, Baker & Taylor reported revenues of $2.26 billion, employed approximately 3,750 people, and was ranked #204 on the Forbes list of largest private companies in 2008.
Offerings
The core focus of Baker & Taylor lies in the distribution and sale of physical books. In January 2019, the company divested its retail entertainment segment by transferring that business to Ingram Entertainment. Over time, Baker & Taylor has broadened its digital content portfolio—offering e-books and spoken-word audio—to libraries globally, with an emphasis on the U.S. market. Additionally, it delivers collection development and processing solutions tailored for public libraries. On May 1, 2019, Follett revealed plans for Baker & Taylor to discontinue retail distribution activities and concentrate solely on serving community learning and educational sectors, aligning with Follett’s strategic direction. This shift involved shutting down warehouses located in New Jersey and Reno, Nevada, which led to more than 500 job cuts; nonetheless, Publisher Services continue to represent a significant growth opportunity.
Digital materials are made accessible through Baker & Taylor’s Axis 360 platform and accompanying app, allowing libraries to license digital titles that enhance availability for remote users. Before exiting the retail entertainment market, Baker & Taylor distributed close to one million book titles and supplied supplementary products such as music CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays to various retail channels including physical stores, online platforms like Target.com and BN.com, independent bookstores, craft outlets, department stores, and comic shops.
The retail entertainment division—which included DVDs, Blu-rays, vinyl records, and music CDs—was sold to Ingram Entertainment in January 2019.
In June 2018, Baker & Taylor collaborated with Penn Foster—a Pennsylvania-based for-profit education provider—to deliver career-focused training programs at no cost through public library systems. This partnership utilizes Baker & Taylor’s digital infrastructure to grant library patrons access to competency-based courses covering career preparedness, soft skills development, degrees, and certification programs.
Ownership history
Castle Harlan Partners held majority ownership of Baker & Taylor after acquiring it from investment firm Willis Stein & Partners. In 1994, Follett Corporation sought to purchase Baker & Taylor from its principal shareholder Carlyle Group, which was divesting assets to concentrate on defense-related investments.
Arnie Wight assumed the presidency on May 23, 2007. On January 4, 2008, Jack Eugster succeeded Richard Willis as chairman and CEO. Thomas Morgan took over as CEO from Eugster on July 7, 2008. In January 2014, George Coe—formerly an executive at Brodart Books—was appointed both president and CEO, replacing Wight and Morgan. Coe departed after two months in April 2017; Follett then named David Cully—a former retail executive—as president while leaving the CEO position vacant. Coe returned to Brodart as president and CEO in January 2020.
David Cully retired in August 2019 after serving two years; subsequently, Amandeep Kochar was elevated to executive vice president and assumed leadership responsibilities.
In February 2015, Readerlink Distribution Services acquired Baker & Taylor’s publishing group along with its U.S.-based marketing operations. This transaction included ownership of the Indianapolis distribution facility as well as offices in San Diego and Ashland, Oregon. However, Baker & Taylor (UK) and B&T (Mexico) continued operating as subsidiaries under Baker & Taylor’s umbrella. Post-acquisition management structures remained largely intact under Readerlink’s oversight.
Baker & Taylor was purchased by Follett Corporation of McHenry, Illinois in April 2016. This acquisition had the potential to boost Follett’s annual revenues by up to 40 percent—from $2.6 billion to $3.6 billion—and led to changes among senior executives at Baker & Taylor.
In December 2018, reports indicated that Ingram Content made an offer to buy Baker & Taylor's retail wholesale division from Follett. This proposal prompted a preliminary review by the Federal Trade Commission regarding possible impacts on market competition involving major retailers and publishers.
In November 2021, Follett Corporation sold Baker & Taylor to a private investment consortium led by Amandeep Kochar, who serves as President and CEO.
Lawsuits
In 1999, Baker & Taylor resolved a federal lawsuit by agreeing to a $3 million payment to the U.S. government, which had accused the company of inflating charges to federal, state, and local libraries that utilized federal funding following its 1992 acquisition from parent firm W. R. Grace and Company. Baker & Taylor contested these accusations.
In 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois sanctioned a consent decree that concluded an EEOC lawsuit filed against Baker & Taylor concerning a Title VII employment discrimination claim.
Moreover, in 2013, Baker & Taylor along with former parent W. R. Grace consented to a $15.5 million settlement addressing allegations of overbilling schools and libraries across 18 states over a period exceeding ten years. This settlement came after a prolonged five-year False Claims Act dispute with the U.S. government, which had been partially settled in 1999 through a Department of Justice agreement that discharged Baker & Taylor from further federal civil liability.
Divisions
Baker & Taylor broadened its market reach in 2009 by acquiring Blackwell UK's North American division as well as Australian library supplier James Bennett, while simultaneously selling its UK-based Lindsay and Croft business to Blackwell. The North American operations of Blackwell were integrated into Baker & Taylor’s YBP Library Services.
In February 2015, Baker & Taylor divested YBP Library Services to EBSCO Publishing and transferred its U.S. warehouse club operations (BTMS US) along with Baker & Taylor Publishing Group (BTPG) to Readerlink Distribution Services. CEO George Coe indicated these strategic actions would enable concentration on core adult print products and foster growth prospects.
On January 11, 2019, Baker & Taylor sold its retail entertainment products segment—including agreements for video and audio music—to Ingram Entertainment Inc, a prominent distributor in the physical home entertainment sector. This transaction resulted in layoffs among entertainment personnel by April 2019.
After an unsuccessful attempt to sell to Ingram Content, Follett announced in May 2019 the shutdown of Baker & Taylor’s warehouses located in Bridgewater, NJ and Reno, NV, causing over 500 employee layoffs and ceasing retail market operations. By February 2020, the remaining New Jersey office staff were relocated to a facility on Route 22 West in Bridgewater.
See also
External links
- – Baker & Taylor global
- – Baker & Taylor UK Ltd
- Articles with short description
- Book publishing companies based in North Carolina
- Publishing companies established in 1828
- Library-related organizations
- Companies based in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Privately held companies based in North Carolina
- American companies established in 1828
- 2016 mergers and acquisitions
- The Carlyle Group companies
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
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