Essential and Proper Create New Indie Distribution Powerhouse
- Essential to use Proper to handle all physical supply to UK and Ireland
- New partnership will represent over 1200 independent labels
19 July, 2013, London – Essential Music & Marketing is to transition its entire UK and Irish physical distribution to Proper Music Distribution in a move that will create a new UK powerhouse for independent music. Together, they will be supplying physical product for a cool 1200 labels, with Essential bringing the likes of Julian Casablancas’ Cult Records, Cherry Red, Cooking Vinyl, FatCat, Tru Thoughts, R&S, Silva Screen, Sumerian and Wall of Sound. Not to mention Nettwerk Records and freshly Platinum cast Passenger, whose album All The Little Lights has climbed to number three in the charts after an 18 week run.The deal will reinforce the independent sector’s supply chain across retail, from the smallest independent dealers through to the largest supermarkets, with all orders continuing to ship from Proper’s 30,000 square foot warehouse facilities.The change came about as a result of Gem Logistics signalling its intention to shift away from music distribution by 2014. Essential will continue to distribute through Gem until August 26th, from which date Proper will handle all new releases. Essential will continue to run its own sales operation.Proper had a turnover in excess of £26m in 2012, capably handling Adele’s smash hit album 21 and shipping 8.2 million units in the same year. The company additionally distributes Kobalt Label Services, Snapper, Real World and legendary folk label Topic, and was three times winner of Best Distribution Team at the Music Week Awards (2009/10/12).With changes taking place in the distribution marketplace, this strategic deal may well establish the Proper/ Essential partnership as the largest suppliers of independent music in the UK.Said Drew Hill, Managing Director at Proper: “We are delighted to be starting what will hopefully be a fruitful, long-term partnership with Essential, which is, like Proper, a company that is passionate about music from top to bottom. The synergies between the two companies will only serve to strengthen what Proper and Essential can offer to their existing clients, both labels and retailers, as well as being able to offer THE go-to solution for artists and labels looking for a truly independent distribution or label services deal."Commented Mike Chadwick, Managing Director at Essential says: “Proper has a great reputation within the industry, especially for its support of independent retailers. The people at Proper intimately understand physical music products and the needs of a company like Essential. Gem Logistics has been a great partner, and it’s a shame that the company is leaving the music space.”About EssentialEssential Music & Marketing was founded in 2003 by Mike Chadwick, former MD Vital Distribution and Martin Goldschmidt, owner of Cooking Vinyl Records.Initially launched to offer marketing and distribution services to select North American independent labels seeking to release across the UK and Europe, the company has grown into one of the UK’s leading independent distributors and service providers.Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2013, Essential has now partnered with a wide range of independent labels, all of whom utilise the company’s range of bespoke services – from manufacturing and digital expertise, through to creative management, marketing, promotion and sales.In 2012, the company delivered 14 UK Top 40 albums, and in 2013 it scored its first Platinum hit single, Passenger’s Let Her Go, on Nettwerk Records.Essential is a member of the CV Group of companies, which include Cooking Vinyl Records, CV America, Cooking Vinyl Publishing and Cooking Vinyl Property.www.essential-music.com About ProperSince 1988 Proper Music Distribution has grown to become the largest totally independent distributor in the UK with annual sales of over £26 million. In recent years it has been a frequent winner of the coveted ‘Music Week Awards – Best Distribution Team’.Proper is renowned for having the knowledge, experience and personal service demanded of an independent specialist coupled with the reach and power of a major.Incorporating UK physical distribution, a worldwide digital service, a label services division and comprehensive international export networks, Proper delivers all music formats in the widest possible market.The Proper team effortlessly handles new releases and catalogue titles from many of the world’s finest independent labels working across all genres including Alternative, Americana, Blues, Electronic, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Reggae, Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Urban, and World.It is a subsidiary company of Proper Music Group Limited.www.properdistribution.com