Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has signed an agreement with Ingram’s Lightning Source to bring the world’s best print-on-demand (POD) service to Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, thus signalling a landmark achievement for the UAE publishing sector.

Print-on-demand services have been a game changer for the publishing business, worldwide, said the statement from SBA.

Traditional printing methods had publishers print large quantities of titles pre-empting sales demand, which often incurred huge shipping and storage costs, it stated.

The print-on-demand service eliminates these costs by offering publishers published materials in as less as 24 hours, which offers them the advantage of deciding print runs according to sales demand, it added.

The agreement was signed by Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, and Shawn Morin, President and CEO of Ingram Content Group, in the presence of John Ingram, Chairman of Ingram Industries, at the Book Expo America 2019.

Al Ameri said the key objective of this agreement and partnership is for Sharjah to provide inclusive publishing services to the market in the UAE and region, in addition to providing tools and solutions that would enable publishers to start their businesses in Sharjah and expand internationally.

"Attracting this leading company from the USA to establish its business in Sharjah is the first step towards many agreements that will help in building a professional system of services in the publishing industry," he noted.

"This system will play a pivotal role in elevating the publishing industry which is witnessing a rapid development in Sharjah and the UAE. It will stimulate finding solutions to reduce the cost of storing, distribution, marketing and other challenges that face publishers," he added.

Morin expressed delight at reaching a terms agreement with the Sharjah Book Authority to open a print on demand facility in Sharjah.

"The addition of a Lighting Source location in Sharjah expands our global network of print on demand plants and will help publishers from all over the world reach their readers more quickly and efficiently in this important, and growing, market," he added.-TradeArabia News Service