The news comes following the completion of a strategic review recommending closure of the current warehouse and distribution operation based at Sparkford, and the amalgamation of the UK automotive manuals and general interest books section of the company.
With origins that can be traced back to 1960, Haynes Publishing has undergone many changes since it moved to Sparkford in the early 1970s, bringing its editorial, workshop and photographic facilities together under one roof. A large printing shop was built on the site that was once occupied by Unigate Dairies and the company expanded its coverage of motoring subjects through the purchase of prestige publisher G T Foulis.
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However, traditional book sales have fallen in recent years as demand has switched to digital and internet based sources of information. Haynes now places more emphasis on its professional product range and interactive consumer website.
Group chief executive, Eric Oakley, identifies the company’s new core business as: “digital supply of automotive repair and technical information to the professional market.”
So, is this the end of the Haynes manual as we know it? Maybe not quite yet, but it would be wise to keep your laptop, palmtop, tablet or iPad fully charged from now on.
