Lightning Source is the leader in demand-driven book manufacturing and distribution solutions to the publishing industry.

We are a customer-focused organization that manufactures superior quality books for publishers, in any quantity, and ships them all over the world.

In January 2001, Lightning Source set-up its first international sales office in Milton Keynes, England with a focus on print-on-demand services. Milton Keynes is located North of London on the M1 motorway and is centrally placed for rapid distribution of books throughout the UK. By August 2001, Lightning Source UK Limited was printing books on demand in a new facility under its UK Executive team.

The UK based sales team works with publisher clients based throughout the world who want to print books in the UK or reach the UK market and wider European market through its distribution channels. Some publishers simply want books printed closer to their customers for delivery throughout Europe, Africa and even Australasia. To reach UK sales you may contact us by phone or email.

Print-on-demand is an innovative printing process that makes it possible to print books one at a time. Books are digitised and stored in the Lightning Source library to be printed in small quantities as required to fill orders. This takes the risk out of setting a print quantity and improves cash flow. Print-on-demand also offers publishers a unique way to import and export titles (particularly into North America and Europe) with virtually no risk and a greatly reduced cost.

Publishers decide which titles to make available to the US or UK markets through Lightning Source. Publishers supply the digital files for print on demand or ebook products or, if a digital file is not available, one copy of each book for print on demand titles. All ebook titles must be submitted digitally. Publishers retain the rights to these titles and Lightning Source handles everything else in the process: Lightning electronically stores the books. You can determine whether these books will be available in hardcover, trade paperback and/or eBook.

As a publisher, when you need a particular book, you simply send an order to Lightning Source via the web. We will deliver what you want, whatever the quantity, when you need it. The average turnaround time for publisher ordered print-on-demand titles in paperback is 5 days and in hardback 12 days.

Publishers will require either a Lightning Source UK pounds sterling account or Lightning Source Inc. US dollar account in order to submit new titles.

For answers to general questions about print on-demand and how it works link to Frequently Asked Questions About Print-on-Demand.

Lightning Source prints titles and rapidly ships to retailers via distributors or wholesalers with which we have an alliance, for example Bertrams, Ingram or Baker & Taylor. We also ship direct to some retailers for example Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com. Lightning Source then sends a monthly cheque for all print-on-demand sales to the publisher. Lightning Source UK business trades in pounds sterling (not US dollars or Euro). As books are priced in pounds sterling in the UK market, publisher compensation from the UK market is typically paid in UK pounds sterling.

If you wish your print-on-demand titles to be made available to other distributors or customers with whom you have a direct relationship, we will ship to them in your name through our direct distribution option. For example, you (or your distributor) accept orders from those accounts for any book set-up with Lightning Source for print-on-demand distribution. While invoices are processed through your own system, the order is forwarded electronically to Lightning Source for fulfillment. We print and ship the order directly to your customers for delivery throughout Europe, Africa and even Australasia and include a packing slip in your name. Lightning Source immediately transmits shipping information to you. An invoice from Lightning Source UK Ltd. for printing, shipping and handling will be sent to you monthly in pounds sterling (not typically US dollars or Euro).

Publishers with an LSI US Dollar Account can:

• Sign-up for UK Distribution through Lightning Source UK and its channel partners by signing & returning a UK POD Agreement


• Print books in the UK for delivery to UK, Europe or other international addresses

Publishers with an LS UK British Pounds Sterling Account can:

• Print & distribute their books through Lightning Source US and its channel partners by signing & returning a US POD Agreement


• Print books in the US for delivery to US or other international addresses

If you are interested in journal issues printed-on-demand then Lightning Source UK may be able to help. Lightning Source is piloting a journals production programme with leading journals publishers. Please contact journals@lightningsource.com if you would like further details.

Lightning Source is a recognized leader in the print-on-demand industry, having printed more than 5.0 million books for more than 1,800 publishers around the world. Lightning Source's digital library currently holds more than 100,000 orderable titles and is growing by an average of 400 titles per week. Publishers storing their titles in our library will be able to reach a broader audience at virtually no risk.

We are flexible, open to ideas and believe in keeping the process easy to manage.

While we are a fairly new company, we are also a subsidiary of a long-standing industry leader. We bring to the table all of the worldwide benefits and strengths of Ingram's heritage.