-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Map publishing news
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:12:02 -0500
From: Russell Guy <[log in to unmask]>
To: Angie Cope <[log in to unmask]>
Maps-L:
Jack's newsletter has by far the most juicy news and is the most
interesting reading. Jack has numerous contacts throughout the
industry, and he is willing to
speak his mind, often to good effect, and good humor. The
International Map Trade Association's monthly
newsletter also has news of the industry and is worth a quick scan
when it comes out. You can see it at
http://www.maptrade.org/publications/ and archived
newsletters are also available there. The IMTA newsletter is more
sanitized, as map companies and/or people in the news are usually
members, and the IMTA tends to not criticize members. The IMTA
newsletter is good for merger news, new product lines, new companies, etc.
On the Langenscheidt closing, they sold their US inventory and
cartographic databases of ADC/Hagstrom/American Map/Arrow, etc. to
Universal Maps for $3 million. They did not sell their Insight Guides
and Insight Maps lines, nor any of the European map lines nor any of the
dictionary lines. Insight Guides and maps will continue to be
available in the US through Ingram and others such as
myself. Langenscheidt used the $3million to pay off their
debts in the US at 52 cents per dollar owed. Universal has started
reprinting and/or shipping titles in the Langenscheidt range, such as
ADC maps and atlases, and Hagstrom maps. Most, but not all of the ADC
line will continue to be available, as well as the big sellers from
Mapsco and Hagstrom, etc. As part of the Langenscheidt
sale, the ADC Map Store on "I" Street in Wash. D.C. closed, as did the
Hagstrom store up in NYC.
Rand McNally continues to cut map titles from its listings. It
appears to me that RM is cutting nearly all of their Easyfinder
laminated city maps as well as the bulk of their Streetfinder
atlases. Their Thomas Bros. atlases continue to be available. Many
of RM's city maps are being discontinued and replaced by "city
atlases" that contain city center maps for anywhere from 10-25 cities
in a pocket-sized atlas. The latest Rand McNally product listing I
received (12/15/10) lists 360 maps as being "available going forward"
and 552 titles being "re-evaluated when current inventory runs
out." So far all re-evaluated titles have been declared
discontinued/out of print, so I assume nearly all of those 552 will
be gone once sold out. Anyone that hasn't updated their RM holdings
might consider doing so ASAP. Latest out of print items included
Manhattan street map, Knoxville Streetfinder atlas, etc.
I assume you heard that Globe Corner Bookstore in Cambridge is for sale,
due to Pat Carrier's recently diagnosed health issues. The last I knew
(a few weeks ago) Pat had received some serious inquiries, but
nothing had progressed beyond that point.
When Mapsco was bought by Universal in March 2010, nearly all of the Mapsco
retail stores were closed (Denver, Dallas, etc.), and as far as I know
only the Ft. Worth store is still open.
Cartographia in Hungary is down to 8 employees and is for sale for
$4million.
Cheers
Russell
**************************************************************************************
Russell Guy [log in to unmask]
Omnimap.com http://www.omnimap.com
P.O. Box 2096 Tel.: 800-742-2677 (USA only)
1004 South Mebane St. Tel.: 336-227-8300
(International)
Burlington, NC 27216-2096 USA Fax: 336-227-3748
Past President (1996) and Member, International Map Trade Association
**************************************************************************************
t 09:52 AM 12/28/2010, you wrote:
> From Jack Joyce's ITMB newsletter ...
>
> Eastview bought Map Link's stock and website. Stay tuned.
>
> Hema North America and LANGENSCHEIDT closing down.
>
> Replogle Globes was sold to Cram last summer, via Herff-Jones who owns
> Cram.
>
> You can see ITMB newsletter here: http://www.itmb.com/newsletter.php
>
> Does anyone else know of other good sources of updates regarding map
> publishing?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Angie
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