Booktopia

• WILMINGTON, Mass., March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Locus Robotics, a global leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for fulfilment warehouses, has partnered with leading online Australian book retailer, Booktopia, to enhance its customer order fulfilment processes at its new customer fulfilment centre at South Strathfield in Sydney.
• Locus Robotics' cutting-edge AMR technology will propel Booktopia's fulfilment operations into the future, increasing efficiency, accuracy, and speed within its new distribution centre.
• Locus Robotics' adaptable and intelligent robots have begun seamlessly navigating the warehouse floors, working collaboratively with human counterparts to ensure timely and precise order processing.
• Rick Faulk, CEO, Locus Robotics, said: "This partnership reflects Booktopia's innovative forward-looking view of robotics and automation technology.

• This must be a huge relief for staff and authors.
• For Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), Simon & Schuster is an attractive investment.
• Founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster, the company is the fourth largest publisher in the United States.
• It has published countless commercially successful and critically acclaimed authors, including Annie Proulx, Stephen King and Bob Woodward.
• Between 2018 and July 2023, the firm owned RBMedia, the largest audiobook publisher in the world.

What does it mean for staff?

• A merger with another publisher would have inevitably resulted in staff layoffs and redundancies.
• The new buyer has expressed interest in supporting further growth of Simon & Schuster, domestically and internationally, as well as maintaining editorial independence.
• KKR has successfully used this strategy since 2011 to improve engagement within more than 30 companies in its portfolio.

What does the future hold?

• The deal secures Simon & Schuster’s future as a separate business entity.
• This is good news not only for its workforce, but its authors.
• It marks a welcome pause in the wave of mergers and acquisitions that started in the 1960s, transforming the landscape of trade publishing.
• Industry consolidation has been associated with decreased competition in the marketplace, and diminished diversity and choice in the publishing landscape.
• scale down workforce, liquidate assets, and reduce investment), and then resell at a profit.

• LONDON, Sept. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jemima Atar, an up-and-coming London author known for her arrestingly personal writing on emotional trauma and healing, has released her second book, you are safe now.
• You are safe now is a bold move from prose to poetry for Atar while it delves into deeply vulnerable and challenging psychological territory.
• Speaking about her book, Atar comments: "you are safe now is my survival symbol.
• Celebrating the launch of her book, Jemima will be speaking at West End Lane Books on 15th September at 7 pm.

• The National Rugby League (NRL), Australias most entertaining and popular sporting giant, is using Freshservice , Freshworks cloud-based IT service management (ITSM) software, to support its internal team across all 16 clubs.
• NRL provides swift IT support to its 1,200 NRL and Rugby League Administration members across Australia and Asia Pacific, making use of Freshworks technology.
• Maurice Veliz, IT Manager at National Rugby League said, We were looking for a provider that was cost efficient and could be managed in-house without relying on external parties.
• At its heart, Rugby League is a community-based sport played by hundreds of thousands right across Australia, especially in country areas.