CPI is ramping up its e-book production facilities in the UK and used a customer event last week to encourage publishers to make the most of them.


Its Bookcraft site in Midsomer Norton is in the process of moving to a single PDF workflow and the next stage of its digital development will be the implementation of an integrated MIS to enable on-line ordering.


All digital files would be accessible and reclaimable to give publishers the option of producing elsewhere, it said.


As a group CPI produces around 200 e-books a month, mainly for the US market. As well as the UK, it has digital operations in France, Holland, Germany, the US and the Philippines.


It recently recruited Ed Podrasky, formerly of IBM, as general manager of eCPI. His remit is to co-ordinate and develop the groups digital print, data conversion and content management services.


"Were moving from being just a printer to being an integrated services provider," Podrasky said. "Publishing is changing rapidly and book manufacturers have to change to keep pace."


At an event in London last week, 30 UK publishers assembled to hear the strategy of CPI, which is now the largest book producer in the UK.


President Timothy Bovard played down the groups size and reassured customers of continuity at the firms it has acquired. The group now owns all the former LIBERfabrica businesses as well as Cox & Wyman and Mackays.


"Our business has a family feel We have no ambitions to be involved in the stock market and no plans to alter the culture of the companies we have acquired," Bovard said.


There were also no plans for further acquisitions in the UK, he added.


Story by Lauretta Roberts