John Ritchie Ltd – Trade Announcement

JOHN RITCHIE LIMITED – TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT

The past 12 months have been a period of significant growth for the Kilmarnock based company, John Ritchie Limited. As part of its ongoing business development, it acquired Penfold Card & Gift in Bicester, Eikon Bible Art and most recently the STL Distribution business in Carlisle at the start of 2010.

The priority over the first 6 months of this year was to stabilise the distribution business and carry out a strategic review of the new expanded organisation to determine its future direction.

After consultation with a small number of staff in Kilmarnock, John Ritchie Ltd is now proposing to further enhance its service to the UK Christian retail trade by integrating all Ritchie trade distribution operations into the Carlisle warehouse. This re-organisation will enable Ritchie to provide a consolidated ordering facility and more efficient supply of products to its trade customers. The existing Kilmarnock site will focus on developing its Publishing and Retailing functions.

Ken Munro, CEO of John Ritchie Ltd said: “I believe this re-organisation of activities is essential in order to improve efficiency and further enhance the excellent support for all our customers. John Ritchie Publishing enjoys an important heritage within Scotland and Northern Ireland and it is our intention to further support this core market through our retailing and publishing activities. STL Distribution offers unparalleled service levels to the UK Christian book trade. By bringing the RItchie's stock range into Carlisle we will continue to strengthen and broaden the product range we bring to market.”

The majority of stock will be transferred to Carlisle by mid-October, at which point all order enquiries should be directed to STL Distribution. Further details will follow shortly for Ritchie trade accounts that do not have accounts with STL Distribution.