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Welcome to the thoughts, news and insights of Air Business.
thursday, 24 august, 2023
Air Business appoints leading academic publishing figure
Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions, order-to-cash and e-commerce management company, has appointed former Brill CEO Peter Coebergh as a consultant to support its ongoing drive for growth in the academic publishing sector.
Peter served as Chief Executive Officer at Brill, a leading publisher in the fields of Humanities, International Law and Social Sciences. Prior to that, he held senior roles at Springer Nature Group and Kluwer Academic Publishers.
This appointment follows significant investment in technology and systems over the past few years, which has seen Air Business continue to develop its service offering to meet the ever-evolving needs of all its customers, with specific customisation for academic publishers. As a long-standing supplier to the market, Air Business’ subscriptions arm was previously owned by Reed Business Information, part of what is now the RELX Group, demonstrating a rich heritage in the sector.
Peter’s vast experience and understanding of the sector will be fundamental to his role at Air Business, where he will provide insight and expertise across sales and marketing strategy, product development, service delivery and customer experience.
Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer, Air Business, added: “Peter is a fantastic addition to our academic team and his appointment will build on the investment that we have made in this sector in recent years. Peter brings with him an enormous wealth of knowledge and experience which I am sure will prove invaluable to our clients.”
Peter Coebergh, Advisor for Academic Development, Air Business, said: “I am thrilled to be joining Air Business to help drive growth in the academic publishing market. Having worked directly with Air Business in the past, I have been extremely impressed by the expertise demonstrated by the team, and the high-quality services they provide, from migration through to the general day-to-day business of supporting complex academic clients.”
thursday, 3 august, 2023
Air Business selected as Print Distribution Partner for Relaunched NME magazine
Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions and e-commerce management company, is pleased to be the distribution partner for NME’s relaunched print magazine, available this summer. Air Business has been selected as a distribution partner due to their successful history of distribution management for numerous publications and handling mailing worldwide.
Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions and e-commerce management company, is pleased to be the distribution partner for NME’s relaunched print magazine, available this summer. Air Business has been selected as a distribution partner due to their successful history of distribution management for numerous publications and handling mailing worldwide.
The early 2000’s was a challenging time for printed magazines as many publications chose to move away from print and over to digital distribution methods. There has, however, always been a demand for print magazines as some readers still enjoy flicking through pages and experiencing the look and feel of a physical magazine in their hands.
NME ceased printing of their magazine to focus predominantly on digital releases in 2018 but the brand has taken the positive decision to return to print for 2023. Their multigenerational audience are not 100% digital natives and still really care about the quality of experience that only physical media can bring.
“Print has always been a cornerstone of the NME brand, and we are thrilled to announce the return of an icon,” said NME Networks’ Chief Operating & Commercial Officer of NME Networks Holly Bishop. “Our new global magazine will curate the very best of NME; championing emerging artists and bands and serving as the definitive voice in pop culture.”
Paul Hatch, Group Customer Director at Air Business, added: “We are delighted at the return of NME to print and to be involved in the relaunch of such an iconic brand as their distribution partner.”
thursday, 6 july, 2023
Air Business achieves ISO Carbon Footprint verification
Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions and e-commerce management company, has achieved ISO 14064-1 Carbon Footprint verification with Carbonology Ltd.
The ISO 14064 standard provides organisations with an integrated set of tools for programs aimed at measuring, quantifying and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Air Business has worked in partnership with Carbonology Ltd to create an Emissions Monitoring System, allowing data to be added at regular intervals to track performance for both consumption (electricity, gas, water, etc.) and emissions, whilst also helping to streamline the process for meeting mandatory reporting requirements, including Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR).
The two companies have also worked to develop a Sustainability Matrix for outbound goods, enabling the company to identify the distances that goods travel. This matrix will be used for long-term monitoring of Air Business’s downstream transportation emissions, with the aim of assisting our clients in reaching their own sustainability targets.
Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer at Air Business, commented, “I’m delighted that Air Business has reached this milestone of verification of our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions as we are fully committed to minimising emissions across our business and throughout our supply chain. Sustainability is an integral consideration for any company, particularly those involved in the logistics industry, so this is another important step forward for Air Business on our sustainability journey.”
Anthony Bunker, Accreditation and Sustainability Manager, added “We are now tracking a wide range of emissions related to Air Business, including upstream and downstream transportation, business travel, employee commuting and homeworking, and the recycling of materials. All of this information feeds in to support our wider Sustainability Roadmap and Carbon Reduction planning.”
thursday, 8 june, 2023
New Operations Director arrives at Air Business
Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions and e-commerce management company, is delighted to announce that James Curness-Blane has joined the group as Operations Director.
James has significant experience in the logistics sector, having previously held senior positions at Aldi UK, Aldi SUD and most recently at Evri, where he was Head of Courier Operations.
James replaces outgoing Operations Director Laitan Etti, who retired earlier this year after more than 35 years of service with Air Business. James’ role has overall responsibility for the operational strategy of the company’s distribution arm, with a key focus on ensuring exceptional service standards. He manages all elements of the distribution process including warehousing, fulfilment and e-commerce.
Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer of Air Business, said “We are delighted to welcome James to our senior management team as we continue to strive for the highest possible standards. James has a sustained record of success within fast-paced environments across a range of industries, from grocery retail and innovation, to parcel logistics and courier operations.”
James added, “I am thrilled to have joined Air Business during an exciting period of transformation. I am passionate about creating an outstanding and memorable experience for our customers, whilst also delivering on our business objectives.”
James reports to Chief Operating Officer Phil Ions and is based at Air Business’ headquarters and distribution centre in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.
thursday, 20 april, 2023
Air Business closes in on gender pay gap parity
Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions and e-commerce management company, is delighted to report a further improvement to 1.3% in relation to their gender pay gap.
The results compare favourably against industry competitors at 8.1%, and the UK average of 14.9%. Their shareholder, An Post, has reported parity and Air Business is keen to achieve the same.
Air Business has made excellent progress in narrowing the gender pay gap. Reporting regulations were introduced in 2017, when it became a legal obligation for UK employers of 250+ staff to identify and publish any gender pay gaps within their organisation.
Clare Wheeler, Chief People & Sustainability Officer, added: “We are incredibly proud that we have again reduced the gender pay gap at Air Business, ensuring that all of our people are fairly renumerated based on their contribution to our business, rather than their gender.”
thursday, 30 march, 2023
Air Business shortlisted for PPA Industry Partner of the Year
We are delighted to share the news that Air Business has been shortlisted for ‘Industry Partner of the Year’ at this year’s PPA Awards.
This category recognises suppliers to the media industry who have gone the extra mile in their partnerships with professional publishers, with an exemplary record of customer service, who regularly over-deliver, ensure challenges are overcome with minimal fuss and proactively suggest initiatives that deliver.
Air Business also sponsors the ‘Media Brand of the Year (Consumer Media)’ award, and we look forward to congratulating the winner in what promises to be a very competitive category.
The Awards ceremony takes place on 28 June in London. View the full shortlist here.
friday, 10 february, 2023
PPA and Air Business renew Strategic Partnership for 14th year
The Professional Publishers Association (PPA) has announced that Air Business, the UK’s market-leader in global mail, fulfilment, distribution and subscription management, will continue as PPA Strategic Partner for 2023.
The 14th year of the partnership will see Air Business as the sole sponsor of the PPA Member Reception, taking place on 12 September as well as Strategic Partner of the PPA Festival and PPA Awards, which have undergone exciting changes in both location and content. They will also be supporting the PPA’s celebration of young talent – the 30 Under 30 Awards and PPA Independent Publisher Awards this Autumn/Winter.
Air Business is a staunch supporter of the publishing sector and has invested significantly to evolve to meet the needs of publishers and media companies. Its range of services include subscription management and e-commerce fulfilment as well as warehousing and domestic and international distribution.
Sajeeda Merali, PPA CEO commented: “I am absolutely delighted to continue our strategic partnership with Adam Sherman and his team at Air Business. Over the last 13 years, they have been great advocates for us and our industry, and we are very happy to have their support of the new PPA direction.”
Adam Sherman, Air Business’ Chief Executive Officer, added: “The publishing sector is constantly evolving, and as a key cog in the supply chain, Air Business has worked hard to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. As Strategic Partner of the PPA we are excited to support publishers as they move into new markets and diversify their services. Throughout all of the challenges the industry has faced over recent years, our passion and loyalty for the publishing industry remains as strong as ever, and will continue to do so into the future. The PPA’s recent rebrand has strengthened its position as the voice of the industry and we are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Sajeeda and her team.”
thursday, 2 february, 2023
Key Publishing awards magazine and e-commerce distribution contract to Air Business
Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions and e-commerce management company, has won the contract with Key Publishing for their magazine and e-commerce distribution requirements.
Key Publishing is a multi-platform media company delivering specialist content across the globe. Still independently owned, they are home to the largest and most comprehensive consumer aviation media portfolio anywhere.
The agreement includes global consumer and business magazine subscription mailings as well as e-commerce items such as books, calendars and gifts. The e-commerce orders are expected to reach around 100,000 packages over the next 12 months.
Karen Bean, Head of Operations at Key Publishing, commented: “We were extremely impressed with how Air Business approached the tender process. Although we have been working with them for the past three years, they didn’t take anything for granted and went to great lengths to ensure that all of our needs were met and all of our questions were answered.”
Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer at Air Business, added: “We are excited to provide an extensive distribution service offering for Key Publishing which includes e-commerce, and delighted to see a business in the publishing industry thriving.”
wednesday, 1 february, 2023
Future wins Feefo Trusted Service Award 2023
We are excited to share that Future has won a Feefo Trusted Service Award 2023 for Magazines Direct, in recognition of customer service excellence and positive reviews of the ordering process on the platform.
Feefo is a cloud-based consumer review and rating management software which enables users to collect, manage and respond to consumer feedback.
This coveted award is given only to companies that deliver time and time again for their customers and place them at the heart of all they do. Air Business provides a complete outsourced customer service solution for Future, so this recognition is testament to the efforts and commitment of the customer service operation and its seamless delivery.
Paul Hatch, Group Customer Director at Air Business, said: “I’m delighted for Future and immensely proud of the role our team plays in delivering a great customer experience. We are constantly striving to deliver exceptional service for all our clients and their customers so this recognition from Feefo is greatly appreciated.”
tuesday, 17 january, 2023
Disruption to Royal Mail international services
We are aware that Royal Mail continues to experience severe service disruption to its international export services following last week’s cyber incident, leaving them temporarily unable to despatch letters, flats and packets to overseas destinations.
Although their teams are continuing to work on a resolution, there are no clear timeframes available for the resumption of services. Therefore, we have made the decision that no further international jobs will be routed via Royal Mail until these issues have been resolved; all mailings will be despatched using equivalent services.
If you do have any specific concerns, please get in touch with your account manager or client relationship executive.
If you are seeking new postal solutions and would like to discuss with a member of the team please call us on 01727 890 600 or email at hello@airbusiness.com.