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==History==
TheTrafford company wasPublishing, founded in 1995, by Bruce and Marsha Batchelor, John Norris, and Steve Fisher., Brucespecializes Batchelorin served as CEO until 2006. Trafford Publishing focuses[[Print on [[demand|print-on-demand]] ("POD") publishing,.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trafford Publishing announces new print-on-demand colour publishing service. - Free Online Library |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Trafford+Publishing+announces+new+print-on-demand+colour+publishing...-a0116291951 |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=www.thefreelibrary.com}}</ref> whichThe meanscompany's theyapproach printallows for printing books in shortershort runs or evenindividually, onebased copyon atorders afrom time,authors inor responseretail tocustomers. ordersBruce fromBatchelor, one of the authorfounders, orserved fromas retailCEO customersuntil 2006.
Trafford 's business model requires paymentauthors fromto thepay authorupfront tofor coverthe set-upsetup costs of [[publishing]], and it places the authorresponsibility hasfor tomarketing doprimarily moston ofthe hisauthors orthemselves. herAt ownits marketing.largest, UnlikeTrafford mostemployed otheraround POD150 publishingpeople servicesacross offices in Canada, Traffordthe ownedUnited States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The company operated its own large printing plant, locatedfacility in Victoria ., BookCanada, printing wasand also doneutilized throughthe printing services of [[Lightning Source]] Inc. (LSI), a subsidiary of [[ Ingram Content Group|Ingram Books]] distributors, in [[Tennessee]] and [[Milton Keynes]] as well as at [[BookSurge]] LLC 's plantfor inits [[Southprinting Carolina]]needs.<ref name="wsj2009">{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123895881091590451 |title=Self-Publisher Buys Rival As Sector Consolidates |author=Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg |date=April 9, 2009 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=November 22, 2009}}</ref> ▼At its peak size, Trafford had about 150 employees working at offices in Canada, US, UK and Ireland. Trafford's self-publishing service was sold to Author Solutions Inc. in 2009.
The range of publishing packages offered by Trafford varies from basic services, aimed at authors looking to print copies for personal use, to more comprehensive packages that include online ordering capabilities and internet distribution. The company has also ventured into [[Ebook|e-book]] conversion and distribution, partnering with platforms like [[Powell's Books|Powells]].com and [[Lightning Source]] Inc. (LSI) for [[digital distribution]].
▲Trafford requires payment from the author to cover set-up costs, and the author has to do most of his or her own marketing. Unlike most other POD publishing services, Trafford owned its own large printing plant, located in Victoria. Book printing was also done through [[Lightning Source]] Inc. (LSI), a subsidiary of [[Ingram Books]] distributors, in [[Tennessee]] and [[Milton Keynes]] as well as at [[BookSurge]] LLC's plant in [[South Carolina]].<ref name="wsj2009">{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123895881091590451 |title=Self-Publisher Buys Rival As Sector Consolidates |author=Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg |date=April 9, 2009 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=November 22, 2009}}</ref>
In 2009, Trafford Publishing was acquired by Author Solutions Inc., a conglomerate that also includes [[AuthorHouse]] and [[iUniverse]], under the ownership of Bertram Capital Management LLC, a private-equity firm based in San Mateo, California. This acquisition followed [[Author Solutions]] Inc.'s purchase of Xlibris in January 2009.
Some titles have been converted to e-books and are distributed via [[Powells.com]] and [[Lightning Source]] Inc. (LSI).
According to their publishing guide, a number of packages are available. They range from a basic publishing service to order printed copies (for family histories, etc.), an intermediate package for basic online ordering capability, to a package with internet distribution. Trafford also has packages for publishing color children's books.
The company has distribution options in Europe.
In 2009 Trafford was purchased by [[Author Solutions]], which operates [[AuthorHouse]] and [[iUniverse]] and is owned by the San Mateo, Calif., private-equity firm Bertram Capital Management LLC.<ref name="wsj2009"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bertramcapital.com/ |title = Home {{!}} Bertram Capital}}</ref> Previously, in January 2009, the Bloomington, Ind., publisher acquired another competitor, [[Xlibris]].
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