Kappa Publishing Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | H.L. Herbert |
| Headquarters | Blue Bell, Pennsylvania , United States |
| Products | Adult puzzle books and magazines, children's periodicals, cartographic products, magazines (including Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Horoscope Guide) |
| Revenue | $11.5 million (yearly) |
| Website | www |
Kappa Publishing Group, Inc. is a privately held publisher located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, focusing on adult puzzle books and magazines, children's periodicals, and cartographic products. Established in 1955 by H.L. Herbert, the firm achieves roughly $11.5 million in yearly revenue.
History
Kappa broadened its offerings in January 2012 through the acquisition of Modern Publishing.
Subsidiaries
Among Kappa's subsidiaries are London Publishing and GAMES Publications. The enterprise began as Official Publications in Manhattan, founded by H.L. Herbert ("Larry"), with early titles such as Teen Word-Finds and Superb Word-Finds. Growth was supported by his sons Anthony Herbert, who served as Editorial Director, and Paul Herbert, responsible for Sales. Prior to Herbert Sr.'s death in the 1980s, he transferred ownership to Nick Karabots, proprietor of the printing company producing their publications. The company later moved its operations to Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania.
Brands
Kappa's primary publishing divisions consist of:
- GAMES – responsible for GAMES Magazine and associated titles
- Official – home to Official's Logic Puzzles and Variety Puzzles
- Blue Ribbon – publisher of Blue Ribbon Word Find
- Children's Fun Puzzles
Kappa Map Group
Beginning in 2007, Kappa entered the mapping sector by acquiring Universal Map, followed by Mapsco in 2010 and later that year Langenscheidt’s map division. This expansion included brands such as ADC (Alexandria Drafting Company), Arrow Map, Hagstrom Map, American Map, and Trakker Map. Nevertheless, the Kappa Map Group abruptly discontinued operations in early 2022 after the Managing Director resigned and no buyer was found, bringing an end to decades of map production.
Publications
Kappa is the publisher of Pro Wrestling Illustrated and Horoscope Guide. Its previous boxing-related publications comprised:
Lawsuit
In December 2005, Kappa Publishing resolved a class-action lawsuit concerning unsolicited fax transmissions. The settlement amounted to $2.125 million, allocating $1.5 million to 13,500 class members, $560,000 for legal fees, and $65,000 toward administrative expenses.
External links
- Kappa Publishing website
- Kappa Map Group (inactive link)