Penguin Random House invests €36 million in Europe's most advanced book distribution center in Barcelona

Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial (PRHGE), a leading book publishing and distribution company and part of the international Penguin Random House group headquartered in New York, has inaugurated its new book distribution center in Barcelona (Cerdanyola del Vallès), consolidating its leadership in the editorial and logistics sectors.

This center is the most advanced in Europe, featuring an investment of €36 million and an area of 42,000 m². The facility consolidates the publisher's logistical operations and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, enabling it to manage over 40 million copies each year.

“Culture is also an industry and generates wealth. With strategic investments like this one, we demonstrate how it can contribute to the economic growth we want to share”

Alícia Romero, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Government of Catalonia

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The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Carlos Cordón, the Mayor of Cerdanyola del Vallès, who was accompanied by Alícia Romero, the Catalan Minister of Economy and Finance, Sònia Hernández, the Minister of Culture, and Núria Cabutí, CEO of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial.

Carlos Cordón, Mayor of Cerdanyola del Vallès, commented, "The Penguin Random House project is another step in our goal to transform Cerdanyola del Vallès into a hub of innovation and sustainability. Through this project, not only is the distribution of editorial content optimized, but the city's role as a leader in the knowledge, research, and technology sectors is reinforced."

Alícia Romero, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Government of Catalonia, highlighted its economic dimension: "Culture is also an industry and generates wealth. With strategic investments like this one, we demonstrate how it can contribute to the economic growth we want to share." She also underscored the potential of the editorial sector in Catalonia, noting that it represents 54.1% of the total turnover in Spain. Romero thanked companies like Penguin for their contribution to this leadership.

This new center strengthens Catalonia's role as a key logistical hub in the European cultural industry. Until now, PRHGE operated from four warehouses in Catalonia (two in Pallejà, one in Sabadell, and one in Zona Franca), but centralizing operations in Cerdanyola del Vallès will optimize delivery times, improve operational efficiency, and reduce logistical costs.

"We wanted more than just a warehouse: we needed a distribution center with robotic capabilities that would not only optimize the process but transform the entire experience, making books more accessible, global, and sustainable," highlighted Núria Cabutí, CEO of PRHGE.

The center will manage over 40 million copies annually, averaging 160,000 books daily, with the capacity to process up to 340,000 books on high-demand days. Additionally, it has 25% of its surface area available for future investments and expansion. By 2025, the daily volume is expected to reach 135,000 books and 8,500 packages, allowing for a 15% growth in volume.

Strategic Location in Barcelona

Barcelona (Cerdanyola del Vallès) was chosen as the site for this center due to its strategic location within the metropolitan area and its excellent connectivity with the rest of Spain and Europe. The proximity to major transportation infrastructures allows for optimized delivery times and improved national and international distribution. Since its launch in September 2024, the center has already achieved key milestones, such as distributing over four million books in six months. By June 2025, 100% of the operational staff is expected to relocate to Barcelona.

About Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial

Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, a leading company in book publishing and distribution, is part of the international Penguin Random House group, which is headquartered in New York and was founded by Bertelsmann on July 1, 2013.

Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial's goal is to publish books for all types of readers of all ages and in any format—paper, digital, or audio—in all the countries where it operates: Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and the United States.

Additionally, the publishing group exports and distributes its titles in more than 45 countries across Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the United States. Today, the publishing group comprises over 61 publishing imprints, independent in their editorial and creative decisions, and publishes over 2,500 new titles annually; its catalogs include dozens of Nobel Prize winners and hundreds of the world's most-read and best-selling authors.

Source: Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial (PRHGE)