STL Distribution North America plans to take on the business of Inspirational Publishers Group (IPG), which made a surprise announcement this week that it will cease operations, including its One Box service, effective Dec. 31.

A subsidiary of GL Services, IPG began serving independent Christian retail stores nationwide in September 2005. The Tulsa, Okla.-based IPG was founded to provide a solution to sales representation and distribution issues in the Christian retail marketplace.

The One Box initiative?the first time such a service was attempted in the Christian retail industry?allowed Christian stores to place and receive one order, box, invoice and return from multiple companies to help increase profits and save time with publisher-direct prices.

David Sheets, chief sales and marketing officer of STL, told Christian Retailing that the One Box service would continue under STL's One Source supply program for retailers. Launched this spring, the program offers "one-stop shopping," in which retailers can place one order with one supplier, receive one shipment and one invoice, and are provided one address for returns.

"Our intention is to bring the entire IPG team over to STL if we secure the distribution contracts," said Sheets, noting that IPG has a staff of nine.

Publishers that partnered with IPG included Gospel Light/Regal, Moody Publishers, Crossway Books & Bibles, Kregel Publications, Editorial Unilit, Harrison House and Christian Audio/Hovel.

"We are discussing our options with a number of publishers and would prefer to issue a joint press release when those decisions are final," Sheets said.

A consultant has been hired to help create a new sales team for STL, he added. "If STL is able to sign agreements with these publishers, the former IPG reps have all expressed a high level of interest in continuing to offer their services to this new sales group," Sheets said.

IPG will continue to receive orders through Nov. 21 and shipping through Nov. 30, IPG officials said earlier this week.

"All of the companies represented by IPG continue to be committed to serving CBA stores and each is pursuing alternative sales solutions for CBA customers," IPG said in a statement. "There will be no disruptions of service to CBA customers through this transition."

IPG recently went through a change in leadership. Mark Hatch, senior vice president of Gospel Light and president of GL Services and IPG, resigned this summer. Bruce Barbour, who worked alongside Hatch for the last year and served as Regal/Gospel Light's publishing consultant, was chosen to oversee GL Services and IPG.

Since 1994, GL Services, headquartered in Ventura, Calif., has served Christian publishers and ministries through order fulfillment, distribution and information systems.

Look for a full report on STL's plan to take over IPG in the Nov. 12 issue of Christian Retailing magazine.