COMAG: A personal touch

Source: Supply Chain Digital

Date :02/09/2008 14:19:07

In an increasingly competitive market, publishers need a distribution partner who can give them protection. If that’s you, why not choose COMAG?

Written by Robert Michaels and Produced by Paul Radbourne

If you’ve never heard?of COMAG before, you’ll be blissfully unaware that it is one of the most dynamic?marketing and distribution?companies in the UK.

Formed in 1977, COMAG is owned by two major magazine firms, the National Magazine Company and Conde Nast Publishing. These major forces in UK publishing produce well-known brands such as GQ, Cosmo, Vogue and Men’s Health.

It is the largest and most influential third party magazine distributor, according to its corporate website, and represents high profile market leading titles and global brands, as well as niche magazines and specialist publications, with frequencies ranging from time-sensitive weeklies to annuals.

“Our expertise across the?business is reflected by our?portfolio, which encompasses magazines, partworks and collectables,” says the company, who offers clients total security and a complete commitment.

COMAG GROUP

As a group, COMAG, which has been around for just over three decades, has two sister companies. The first is COMAG Specialist, which is responsible for marketing and distributing specialist titles. And the second is COMAG Forward, a deliveries service.

COMAG Specialist has been marketing and distributing magazines since 1990 and the company’s entire portfolio is based on specialist titles.

The range of services it offers has, therefore, been specifically designed to meet the circulation, marketing and distribution needs of the specialist magazine publisher.

“COMAG Specialist believes that specialist and time-sensitive magazines and newspapers deserve a flexible and creative approach to finding their market, whether the title is specialist in terms of its content, readership or size,” says the firm.

COMAG Forward is operational 24 hours a day, running daily deliveries to wholesale, as well as providing an in-house time-sensitive service. Each month, the company delivers over 26 million magazines to the wholesale network. As the only distributor to operate its own fleet of vehicles, it offers the associated economies of scale and added security.

COMAG Forward also has a range of complementary post-print services, which includes hand and machine finishing and packing, together with automated covermounting, barcoding and label application.

“Other services include a trade counter, storage facilities and label production,” says COMAG.

FEEL THE FORCE

The COMAG group boasts a market share of almost 23 percent based on value. The majority of its business comes from third party clients.

It believes that, in a market that is becoming increasingly competitive, publishers need a distribution partner who can give them protection – exactly what COMAG strives to offer.

“Our vision is to be a quality trade marketing partner for publishers,” says the company. “To make this vision a reality we need to be both experts in our field and champions of the brands we represent. This requires first class systems, effective and efficient processes and the best people adding real value.”

The firm also offers clients a “personal touch”, stating, “day to day, your portfolio will be cared for by an experienced account manager who will be your principle contact within COMAG. Your account manager will work with you to develop strategic plans for your title to help strengthen your brand and grow sales.”

This is supported by first class systems.

Indeed, in partnership with Smiths News, COMAG has recently developed a new sales forecasting and copy allocation system (C-Mac), which provides it with retailer level data, which it uses to build the most effective distribution pattern for each individual magazine issue.

“Whilst the capability to forecast, plan and allocate the optimum quantities of each title down to retail level is a core skill for a distributor, the development of C-Mac uses the very latest technology and establishes COMAG at the forefront of the industry,” says the corporate website.

Alongside C-Mac, COMAG has web-enabled delivery of information, which keep clients informed and enables the firm to take “positive action.”

RETAIL TEAM

COMAG also has a large, dedicated retail team, which works at both an operational and strategic level with all retail groups. “Our channel managers focus on the development and delivery of strategy and direction for every key retail channel. Each channel manager leads a team of national account managers,” says the firm.

The retail team is structured to ensure the appropriate level of resource and focus is allocated to each retail type: supermarkets, high street, travel, forecourts and service stations, CTNs, convenience stores and independent retailers.

“COMAG acts as champion for our publishers’ products at?retail,” adds the company. “With the support of our market share, our excellent working relationships and expert knowledge of the individual retailers, market sectors and competition, we can deliver the best possible results for all parties.”