UK-based independent distributor Proper Music Group is taking over fulfilment duties for Southern Record Distributors’ (SRD) roster of indie labels.
Proper will now manage SRD’s pick, pack and ship and warehousing for its exclusive label base, currently numbering around 200 and spanning all genres, including Light In The Attic (Rodriguez, Lee Hazlewood), Kompakt (The Field, Gas), Daptone (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley), and Text (Four Tet), as well as The Leaf Label, Tresor and Melodic.
Since its formation in 1987, SRD has become a prominent distributor in Europe, providing a specialist and independent service to hundreds of shops, stores and online platforms.
Proper in in the process of moving to a new 100,000ft², purpose-built warehouse in Dartford which more than quadruples its existing space.
“It is a pleasure to start work with Andy and Steve, and we are happy to help protect the independence of one of Europe’s biggest distributors.”
Drew Hill, Proper (pictured)
The company will introduce state-of-the-art automated systems, further improving capacity and efficiency across operations not only for SRD, but for all existing clients as well.
Drew Hill, Managing Director at Proper, commented: “It is a pleasure to start work with Andy and Steve, and we are happy to help protect the independence of one of Europe’s biggest distributors.
“We are proud to expand and develop our client roster as the opening of our new warehouse draws ever closer.”
Andy Slocombe, joint Managing Director at SRD with Steve Collins, said: “Steve and I have a responsibility to our labels and to the business to make the best decisions for our future.
“Handing over responsibility for logistics to a third party is a tried-and-tested model, and we are entirely confident that working with Drew and his team at Proper is the right road to pursue.”
Proper Music Group provides services including global physical and digital distribution to artist and label services, publishing, online retail and its own record label.
Latest accounts show the year to 31st March 2016 was one of Proper’s biggest yet with profits of over £280,000 and an overall turnover of over £21 million.Music Business Worldwide
