Blurb Adds MagCloud, an On-Demand Magazine and Digital Publishing Business, to Its Portfolio

Blurb, the indie book publishing platform, leads self publishing in new directions with licensing of HP's MagCloud platform

San Francisco, Calif.— May 05, 2014 — Blurb, the indie book publishing platform, today announced that MagCloud, HP's web-based publishing platform, will become part of Blurb under a licensing agreement between the companies. The move allows current MagCloud customers access to Blurb's full line of print and digital products for magazines and books, and shows Blurb's commitment to taking indie publishing beyond the book into the burgeoning world of indie magazines.

Under the agreement, all operational functions have been transitioned to Blurb, and MagCloud customers will see no change during a planned transition period expected to last approximately three months. During this time, customers will have the opportunity to integrate their magazines into the Blurb platform. Blurb expects to fully transition MagCloud customers and their supported projects to blurb.com within six months.

This licensing agreement is a natural one given both brands' focus on enabling creative individuals to produce quality products that reflect the power of their work both in print and ebook form. Working together is nothing new for Blurb and HP. HP's MagCloud, invented by HP Labs in 2008, created a network of users publishing magazines on-demand using HP Indigo commercial printing presses. Blurb's global print-on-demand network is also based on HP Indigo printing presses.

“Blurb and HP have a longstanding relationship dating back to the origin of Blurb in 2006, so the foundation exists to make this transition successful,” said Eileen Gittins, founder and CEO, Blurb. “Further to the relationship however, the magazine at this moment in time represents the perfect intersection of technology, culture, and media: Beautifully designed short-form reading, with multiple contributors, in print, and as an ebook. In this context, the magazine as a genre is very strategic for Blurb. Indie magazines are experiencing a bit of a renaissance, and we're thrilled to welcome MagCloud customers to the Blurb fold.”

“Since the inception of MagCloud as an HP Labs innovation to its current commercial success, we've strived to democratize the face of magazine publishing,” said Andrew Bolwell, general manager, HP MagCloud. “As a long-time HP customer and pioneer of the self-publishing industry, Blurb is the right company to take on the MagCloud business at this point in time.”

Existing MagCloud customers will not notice any immediate changes. Current and new publications will still be available to print, sell, and distribute through MagCloud just as they are today. MagCloud customers joining Blurb's ecosystem will gain many new benefits, including access to:

  • Precision design tools like the recently released Blurb BookWright™ to help them design their magazines
  • Offset printing options for greater cost savings
  • Unprecedented global reach across 80+ countries of Blurb's platform
  • The Blurb Bookstore and third-party marketplaces

Blurb is in the middle of its most exciting year yet. From its recently announced new precision print and ebook tool called BookWright, its seamless integration with Amazon distribution, and new offset, warehousing, and fulfillment services, 2014 promises to be big.

For more information, please visit https://www.blurb.com/magcloud.

About Blurb®
Blurb® is a self-publishing platform and creative community that enables individuals to design, publish, share, sell, and distribute photo books, trade books, and magazines in both print and digital formats across the globe using its free, innovative book creation and layout tools. Founded in 2005 by Executive Chairman, Eileen Gittins, Blurb has nearly 2 million independent book authors worldwide, resulting in 3.9 million unique book titles, with more than 14 million units shipped to 80 countries around the world. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and can be found online at www.blurb.com.

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