WHO IS NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST INDEPENDENT TRADE PUBLISHER ?

There has been some speculation on this blog recently as to who may be our largest independent publisher.

Names mentioned have included Craig Potton Publishing, Huia Publishers and David Bateman. I am not in a position to judge but I noticed in the August 2010 newsletter from David Bateman that they currently have 25 titles with the printer. Does this make then NZ's largest independent trade publisher? I suspect it might. Anyone else want to make a claim or hazard a guess?

There are literally hundreds of so-called indie publishers in NZ but many are miniscule, publishing only the occasional title with publishing not being their main business. These include societies, galleries, individuals and partnerships.

Then there are those who publish a steady stream throughout the year but appear to be smaller than the three named above. Off the top of my head examples include:
 Steele Roberts Publishing, PQ Blackwell, David Ling Publishing, Cape Catley, Awa Press, Gecko Press, Annabel Langbein Books, Hyndman Publishing, Holt Irvine Enterprises, Grantham House, Siler Owl Press - which firms have I missed? 

And of course over the years many indies have been swallowed up by the big players especially by Random House and Penguin - e.g. Longacre, Tandem Press, Shoal Bay, Mallinson Rendel, Reed, Godwit, Moa Beckett. Others?

Of course there is also the question of how you define a New Zealand independent trade publisher . I guess it is s company that is privately owned and operated by New Zealanders that publishes trade books? Those excluded are multi-nationals large and small, New Holland and Allen & Unwin are probably examples of small multi-nationals while Harper Collins, Random Hose and Penguin are examples of large multi-nationals. Also excluded would be university presses? And of course educational publishers.
Comments welcome.