Origins
The company has its origins in a business set up thirty years ago in Tonbridge, Kent by the 'Hooks Bookshops' chain to handle their direct mail fulfilment. Eddington Hook Distribution (as it was then called) grew into a substantial business supplying set texts to the Open University student body. The Vale Road warehouse was opened and Eddington Hook Distribution began offering its services to small and medium-size book publishers who did not have the critical mass necessary to justify their own distribution operation. Some of our existing clients have been with us since those very early days.
Combined Book Services
Eddington Hook Distribution and Combined Book Services were similar businesses with adjoining warehouses. At the onset of the recession it made sound economic sense to merge these two businesses and run the "combined" book services out of a single warehouse unit. To preserve the name Eddington Hook and its particular association with the Open University, the new company took the name Combined Book Services as it not only aptly described the "combining" of the two businesses but enabled Eddington Hook to continue with its OU supply business without changing its name. The merge proved extremely successful but we quickly outgrew our warehouse capacity! The move to Paddock Wood Distribution Centre (PWDC) in June 1998 was essential for the further development of the business.
Paddock Wood Distribution Centre
Combined Book Services today shares a large trading estate of purpose built high-rise units. Paddock Wood is close to both the M25 (Junction 5) and M20 (Junctions 2 & 4), and is only 50 minutes by train from Central London.
Computer Systems
CBS has developed its system using Sweetens software for over 20 years, their Open Imprint package is designed with ease of use and rapid processing of data in mind. Sweetens have concentrated on a number of vital areas in the package such as high speed invoicing, flexible accounting, report management and software integration. These factors together with the wide range of optional modules will furnish the client with an efficient and powerful solution at all levels.
Publishing Background
The directors of Combined Book Services come from a publishing background which enables CBS to view distribution from a publisher's perspective.
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