St. Paul, Minn. - The Quarto Group Inc. announced today the acquisition of St. Paul-based Motor Books International (MBI Publishing Company LLC) effective immediately. This includes the imprints of Motorbooks, Voyageur Press, Zenith Press, as well as the MBI Distribution Company.

The announcement was made by Laurence F. Orbach, chairman and chief executive of The Quarto Group. Ken Fund, president and CEO of Quarto's Massachusetts-based Quayside (KEY-side) Publishing Group will oversee MBI’s operations.

For several years Quarto has focused its growth strategy on making acquisitions. “Today’s purchase is an excellent way to further the overall strategy of the Quayside Publishing Group which is on track to become the publisher and distributor of choice for books for enthusiasts across all niche categories,” says Laurence Orbach.

“Motorbooks has an extremely well respected name in the transportation category, and is one of the best-defined brands in publishing,” says Ken Fund. “I am thrilled with the acquisition, and the opportunity to lead a company with such an established reputation and deliberate publishing strategy. In addition to its success in the traditional book trade, MBI has generated significant revenues from the highly profitable automotive, farm hobby, and military channels, as Quayside has done within the home improvement, outdoor and craft channels. Both companies have long set the standard satisfying enthusiasts’ thirst for detail. There are three strong publishing imprints at MBI, and many long-standing distribution relationships that we are eager to grow.”

Quayside Publishing Group (formed in 2004 upon Rockport Publishers’ acquisition of Creative Publishing international) encompasses five imprints: Creative Publishing international, Fair Winds Press, Quarry Books, Quiver and Rockport Publishers. Quayside currently publishes over 250 books a year in the graphic design, enthusiast and lifestyle categories. Quayside’s website is www.QuaysidePublishingGroup.com. In addition to these five imprints Quayside has partnered with another Quarto company, Walter Foster Publishing, to distribute their books to the book trade. Walter Foster’s site is www.walterfoster.com. Check out the Quarto website for more information about the many Quarto companies worldwide (www.quarto.com).

The Quarto Group is headquartered in London, UK. The Quayside Publishing Group has offices in Beverly, Mass. and Chanhassen, Minn. Motorbooks’ titles will continue to ship out of their warehouse in Osceola, Wis. and CPi, Fair Winds, Quarry, Quiver, Rockport and Walter Foster titles will continue to ship out of the Warren Warehouse in Racine, Wis. The staffs of both MBI and CPi will continue to operate in their respective Twin Cities area offices.