Orion Publishing Group
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Books |
| Parent | Hachette Livre |
Orion Publishing Group Ltd. is a British publishing company established in 1991, which expanded its portfolio by acquiring Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 1992. The company has released bestselling works authored by notable figures such as Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, Nemir Kirdar, and Quentin Tarantino.
History
Orion Books began operations in 1992 and, the following year, took over the assets of Chapman Publishers along with the Sussex-based warehousing and distribution facility, Littlehampton Book Services (LBS). In 1998, a majority share was sold to Hachette Livre, which gained full ownership by 2003. That same year, Orion expanded further by acquiring the publishing firm Cassell, including its Victor Gollancz Ltd imprint and Cassell's Military list. After Hachette's purchase of Hodder Headline, Orion emerged as the principal division within Hachette UK.
Awards
In recognition of exceptional financial results in 2020, Hachette's Orion division was honored with the 2021 British Book Awards "Publisher of The Year." Every category under Orion experienced considerable sales increases, with eight titles exceeding £1 million in revenue individually. Notable bestsellers included fiction from Ian Rankin and Michael Connelly, alongside non-fiction works by Noel Fitzpatrick and Arsène Wenger. Orion's accomplishments were supported by strategic digital marketing initiatives and virtual events, highlighted by Adam Kay's Dear NHS anthology, which raised close to £400,000.
Imprints
The company's imprints consist of:
- Gollancz
- Laurence King Publishing
- Orion Business
- Orion Fiction
- Orion Spring
- Phoenix Books
- Seven Dials
- Trapeze
- Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Orion Children's Books functions as an imprint within the Hachette Children's Group.
Additionally, the group manages distribution for independent publisher Halban Publishers.
Distribution
The distribution of books is handled via Littlehampton Book Services.