Send The Light Distribution Celebrates 40 Years
Retail specials, drawings among anniversary highlights
Elizabethton, TN.: Leading Christian resource provider, Send The Light Distribution is launching a year of celebration, to mark 40 years of service to Christian retailers, churches, ministries, and suppliers.
Among the anniversary events will be a series of monthly specials and prize drawings for accounts. While the 40-year history will be a focus of the company’s presence at the International Christian Retail Show in Atlanta, in June, and their spring invitational for key customers, new growth and business initiatives will also be announced.
Send The Light Distribution began as Appalachian Bible Company, founded in 1974 in Johnson City, TN, by Tom Torbett. Operations expanded to include three regional distribution centers, before the company was sold to Send The Light US (STL) in 2005. The 2007 merger between STL and the International Bible Society was followed by a management buyout of the Distribution center led by President Glenn Bailey, in 2012 and the reforming of IBS as a separate organization known as Biblica.
Bailey affirms “Though Send The Light has grown into the one of the largest Christian distribution company’s in the United States, we retain the personal touch and spirit that helped establish Appalachian in our early years.”
“We have retained Tom’s specialty of relationships and service.” Bailey continued. “Many stores bought from him because he gave personal attention that wasn’t available from the bigger companies. He knew how to provide great service, and he would cut through the red tape found in larger companies.” That service attitude remains at the heart of the organization today.
Send The Light continues a strong emphasis on service, while using technology and programs to increase efficiency too. “By consolidating operations, and now owning our facility, we are able to spend less money on operations, and put more resources into our most important job—meeting customers’ needs and exceeding their expectations,” said Bailey.
The company has seen continued growth and expansion since the buyout two years ago. Send The Light Distribution continues to maintain its high standards in customer service and a same-day order fulfillment guarantee for those received by 1 pm through its Elizabethton, TN facility. Add to their well-known fast turning service their Print on Demand (POD) capabilities and expansion into major distribution assortments of gifts and church supplies, Send The Light continues to grow and strengthen its brand. This next year they will grow their custom brands (like LUMEN), increase their vendor services programs through their Advocate division and continue to enhance their broader services to its growing customer base nationally and internationally.
New customer initiatives unveiled in the last year include the Simply 42 program, streamlining a previously multi-tiered pricing structure into a standard, everyday 42 percent discount. Another new program is the Premier Partners service offering an expanded range of church supplies and resources.
The motto of Send The Light Distribution is “Our Name is our Mission” and considering their past 40 years and their plans for the future, they look well positioned to send more and more of God’s light worldwide.