The Stanborough Press Ltd.
READ. DISCOVER. GROW.
Established by the General Conference (GC) 142 years ago, the Stanborough Press Ltd. is the official publishing house of the British Union Conference (BUC). As a self-sustaining institution, we belong to the Union; however, we are not financed by tithes, but operate thanks to the services we provide, the sales of books, and the events we attend.
The Stanborough Press Ltd. group of companies comprises the Stanborough Press Ltd., which produces resources for the nurture of our members; Autumn House Publications (Europe) Ltd., which produces resources for outreach and the general Christian market; and the House of Natural Foods, which provides health products.
Our mission is service. We are distributors of hope and cheer with a view to eternity.
Our vision is to instil a sense of identity and purpose.
Our primary purpose and values are to share the redeeming Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in every country of the world in preparation for the kingdom to come.
Strategic Targets & Focus Areas
Our responsibility as a publishing house is to continue fulfilling the mandate given by the GC when we were established; but, as times change, so must we if we wish to remain relevant.
Despite the unprecedented global health crisis, the ongoing wars in several of the territories we serve, the currency volatility facing many of our export customers, the changes in demographics within our church in the UK, the shifts in purchasing patterns (especially after the pandemic), the increased competition from other publishing houses, and the cost-of-living crisis, the Lord has provided renewed opportunities every step of the way to enable us to fulfil our mission.
Our strategic 10-year plan has been prepared to ensure the future of the Press, and it concentrates on the following areas:
1. Financial Management and Optimisation
Our focus this quinquennium has been to re-address the overall balance of sales between the UK and our export partners to become financially stronger, improve stock control, and stabilise the company after the pandemic through careful expense controls, strategic printing, the collection of historic debts, and the optimisation of resources.
Impact:
At present the balance has shifted, with 60% of sales coming from the UK and Europe and 40% from other export partners.
With the help of Graham Barham, the collection of old debts has been prioritised with significant success, including the reduction of debts that had existed since 2011.
Thanks to the diligent work of Jacqueline Anderson and David Selvage, audits have been clear every year, with working capital and liquidity above denominational requirements, although cashflow remains a challenge at times.
The level of old stock has been reduced and tighter control of current stock levels has been implemented, with prudent print runs and reprints based on demand.
2. Sales and Marketing
One of our main objectives during this period has been to ensure the visibility, awareness and accessibility of our full range of products among Seventh-day Adventist members and the wider Christian community.
To achieve this, the sales team (led by Trevor Johnson) has introduced regular updates and promotional campaigns on our website (www.stanboroughpress.org.uk) and online store (www.lifesourcebookshop.co.uk).
Impact: These initiatives have placed our online store in third position on Google search engines, with online sales continuing to increase. Thanks to Philip Anderson for maintaining and updating the sites.
Thanks to our social media team (Trevor Johnson and Thai Zanin), our presence has grown across platforms, helping us to reach younger and geographically wider audiences.
Impact: Online sales continue to grow year on year, while our members still value our physical presence, resulting in attendance at an average of more than 40 church visits and events annually across the UK and Europe (thanks to Guilherme Zanin and Ian Clutton).
Another key aspect of our Marketing strategy has been strengthening partnerships with Bible publishers Harper Collins, the Christian Traders Association, and other denominational publishing houses in Europe, the USA, Australia, Inter-America, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and the Philippines, as well as entities such as Sanitarium, the food company.
Impact: These collaborations have resulted in the availability of a wider selection of products to our members and non-denominational customers alike, as well as a reduction in production costs and an additional income stream from licences granted.
We continue to provide a meeting place in our Watford and London shops (thanks to Fran Brooks, Joan Johnson, Eutella Simon and other volunteers), and for members from across the BUC by hosting our annual Open Day, bringing international speakers such as Brenda Walsh, Dr Kevin Burton and Pastor Pavel Goia, as well as many local authors, to inspire and motive our members.
Impact:
There have been increased opportunities to showcase our full product range and give visibility to self-published authors.
The arrival of a younger, more diverse team, publishing and distributing titles in multiple languages, has expanded our reach to European, American, African and Far Easterncountries, while serving the multicultural membership in the UK and Ireland. We now offer resources in 11 languages.
3. Production of New Resources
This quinquennium has seen changes in our Editorial Department, with two previous editors, Pastors David Neal and Julian Thompson, called to serve in other roles within the Trans-European Division. Our present team comprises our editor, Pastor Dusanka Rancic; our assistant editor, Andrew Puckering; and our designers, Abigail Murphy and David Bell – together, they have produced a record number of new resources.
The commitment to producing high-quality Bible-based literature at the best possible prices remains unchanged.
Impact: Materials have been produced across all 12 product lines, supporting every department of the church.
The monthly official BUC newsletter (Messenger) and quarterly sharing magazine (Focus) continue to be distributed with a refreshed design reflecting current trends and topics. Please subscribe for a free monthly copy of Messenger via editor@stanboroughpress.org.uk.
Amid challenging trading conditions and rising costs, the production team, led by Peter Mensah, has sourced reliable, price-sensitive global suppliers.
Impact: There has been a timely delivery of resources and careful cost control for new productions and reprints.
We are also offering additional publishing services, including logistics support for church entities and a range of options for new authors to self-publish their manuscripts.
Impact: Increased flexibility and visibility for new authors, especially those based in the UK.
4. Distribution and Warehouse Optimisation
Strategies have been implemented to reduce old stock, manage production effectively and optimise warehouse space, improving fulfilment of both domestic and international orders.
Impact: Thanks to our team (Paul Brewin, Mark Walmsley, Aaron Thompson and Andrea Sarlinova) and automated processes, we have achieved faster order turnaround, improved accuracy and enhanced health and safety processes.
As the number of domestic and international events has increased, the event-management team has expanded (Filip Avramov and Rodrigo Zanin) to accommodate growing demand.
We are not blind to the challenges we face, but remain positive and committed to our mission, embracing new technologies to reach as many people as possible.
Appreciation
We express our heartfelt gratitude to all current and past staff for their hard work; to our board members for their guidance; to administrators and directors for their collaboration; to our international partners for supporting our products; to our authors for their trust; to our members for their belief in the power of literature; to our suppliers for their service; and to our readers for their desire to read, discover, and grow. Above all, we thank our Lord and Saviour.
We give all glory to God, recognising that it is only by His grace that we have been able to provide these services and resources.
Our pledge is to continue producing innovative, Bible-based, truth-filled literature to share with those who do not know the Lord, and to strengthen the faith of our members, young and not so young. Thank you for your prayers and support.
