arvato named as exclusive ecommerce distributor for Sony Music in the UK and Ireland

Sony Music UK has selected arvato as its exclusive e-commerce distribution partner in the UK and Ireland. Under the agreement arvato will provide supply chain services for Sony’s premium consumer offerings, such as music and exclusive merchandise from its MyPlay Direct artist stores including One Direction, Westlife and Kasabian.

The three year partnership includes warehousing and direct to consumer (D2C) distribution for hundreds of thousands of orders. These services and a comprehensive returns management programme will be managed from arvato’s 16,500 square-metre distribution facility in Milton Keynes.

arvato was selected due to its proven expertise and experience in the music and entertainment industry, along with its innovative approach to new channels. The appointment expands arvato’s existing six year supply chain and commercial order to cash service relationship with Sony, which has contributed to the business process outsourcing partner becoming the leading distributor of CDs in the UK.

“arvato has the necessary expertise and flexibility to adapt to our evolving needs in market undergoing significant change. This is especially important when it comes to delivering premium products directly to consumers, who expect a premium service,” said Stuart Hale-Brown, Vice President Operations, Sony Music UK. “The dedication from the team has really helped us in the transition of the e-commerce business. We look forward to working with arvato and incorporating its innovative solutions to drive our business forward.”

“Our existing relationship with Sony means we can leverage the B2B stockholding, providing higher stock availability, a shorter turnaround time of e-commerce orders and reduced replenishment costs,” explained Markus Schmücker, Managing Director, Supply Chain Solutions, arvato UK & Ireland.

“E-commerce is now a critical part of our supply chain growth strategy in the UK as we expand our capacity to meet client and consumer demand. We offer companies an innovative, collaborative and scalable approach to create a seamless consumer experience.”

About arvato UK & Ireland

arvato is a trusted global business outsourcing partner to the private and public sectors in the UK. With more than 50 years of experience in outsourcing, arvato combines expertise in business process outsourcing (BPO), finance services, contact centres, loyalty and customer retention, supply chain solutions, and public sector and citizen services to deliver innovative, individual solutions. arvato has long-term partnerships with some of the most respected companies in the UK and globally, as well as innovative public sector clients. It is a subsidiary of arvato AG, an internationally networked outsourcing provider with over 60,000 people employed in over 270 subsidiaries across 35 countries worldwide. arvato has annual revenues of approximately €5bn contributing nearly a third of the Bertelsmann group annual revenues of over €15bn. For more information, visit www.arvato.co.uk.

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Beach Street Records, BNA Records, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Kemosabe Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, MASTERWORKS, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, RCA Red Seal, Reunion Records, Roc Nation, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music, Verity Gospel Music Group, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. 

For further information or relevant photography, please contact:

Sam Grey

Director, Marketing & Communications

arvato UK & Ireland

Tel:       +44 (0) 20 3178 5733

Email:   [email protected]

Katie Colledge
Senior Account Director
Citypress

Tel:       +44 (0) 161 235 0301

Email:   [email protected]

Subjects