HarperCollins has inaugurated a state-of-the-art distribution centre and office complex in Glasgow, marking a significant investment in the city where it was originally founded.
The 550,000 sq ft facility in Robroyston will employ 400 people and manage the distribution of around 110 million books a year. The new site, launched on World Book Day, reinforces HarperCollins’ commitment to Scotland’s literary and publishing heritage.
The unveiling event, attended by authors, politicians, and business leaders, also highlighted wider concerns over declining children’s reading rates, with HarperCollins calling for greater government support to address the issue.
HarperCollins: A Major Logistics and Publishing Hub
The Robroyston facility represents a key logistical centre for HarperCollins’ UK and global operations. According to the company, the site is designed to handle up to three million books per week at peak times, with more than 56,000 titles stored across 220,000 locations.
The publisher has incorporated an advanced KNAPP logistics automation system, which will streamline the movement and processing of books.
The site is also home to HarperCollins’ education and reference division, Collins, which produces dictionaries, atlases, language learning resources, and children’s non-fiction.
Its cartography team will continue to publish walking guides and the Times Atlas of the World, while also supplying mapping data to governments, militaries, and technology firms.
In addition to logistics and publishing, the facility will house teams from finance, human resources, and customer services.
A significant part of the site will also be dedicated to the HarperCollins Archive, preserving first editions, original artwork, and documents related to literary icons such as Agatha Christie, J.R.R. Tolkien, and A.A. Milne.
A Call to Address Children’s Reading Crisis
During the launch event, Charlie Redmayne, CEO of HarperCollins UK, highlighted the £11 billion contribution of the publishing sector to the UK economy.
However, he also raised concerns over the declining rates of children reading for pleasure, citing research indicating that fewer than 25% of children frequently engage in reading.
“This is a problem for publishers—children who don’t grow up loving reading become adults who don’t love reading—but also for the country,” Redmayne stated. He urged the government to take action by introducing story time in schools and ensuring primary school libraries are well-stocked.
To support this initiative, HarperCollins has partnered with Glasgow Life to donate 50 children’s books to every primary school in the city. The new site also reflects a commitment to sustainability, featuring solar panels, high-efficiency insulation, LED lighting, and electric vehicle charging points.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson welcomed the investment, describing it as a boost to Scotland’s economy and creative industries.
Meanwhile, Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill emphasised the site’s role in promoting Scotland’s literary tradition and ensuring future generations continue to engage with books.
HarperCollins remains the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world, operating in 15 countries and publishing 10,000 new books annually.
