Proper Music Group, part of the Utopia family, and Bertus, two of Europe’s leading physical distributors, have agreed a new sales and distribution deal.

The deal has been signed with the aim of simplifying processes across Europe, with just two warehouses, in the UK and the Netherlands, handling shipping for the continent – a more coordinated system with less product moved and fewer returns. This will also help to deliver lower emissions, an important step in the wider music industry mission to reduce its carbon footprint. Paperwork will be reduced too, with labels receiving one monthly sales statement covering their European sales, rather than different statements for each territory.

The first label to use the streamlined service is Nettwerk, which released Sidelines, the new album by Wild Rivers, on 4 February 2022.

On the deal, Senior Label Manager Vangel Vlaski said: “Proper Music Group has always been committed to innovating and streamlining its practices wherever possible and this new deal with Bertus marks another important step in that process. We’re delighted to be leading the way alongside Bertus and look forward to welcoming other labels.”

Bertus CEO Jan van Ditmarsch added: “We’re excited to join forces with our UK partners and build a set-up that’s best described as a Pan-European One Stop Shop. Combining both companies’ best practices and services we can offer Nettwerk a well-run operation that’s both cost-efficient and risk-reducing on many levels! We’re confident many other labels will join.”

About Proper Music Group
Proper Music Group, part of the Utopia Music family, is a full services company providing everything from global physical and digital distribution to artist and label services, publishing and D2C. Clients are able to tap into as much or as little of Proper’s offering as fits their needs.
Its distribution arm, PMD – the UK's leading physical distributor – is renowned for its specialist knowledge and personal service coupled with wide market reach and influence.
Distributing for over 1500 independent labels and service companies including Absolute Label Services, ADA, AWAL, Believe, Cherry Red, Concord, Epitaph, Hospital, INgrooves, Kartel, Orchard, Redeye, RSK, Snapper and SRD, the company collectively represents 12% of the UK physical recorded music market.
Proper Music Group received The Company Award: Diversity In The Workplace at the Women In Music Awards 2017, and was also awarded Best Sales Team at the Music Week Awards in 2020 & 2017, and Best Distributor in 2012, 2010 & 2009.
http://www.propermusicgroup.com

About Bertus
Over the course of 5 decades, Bertus has transformed from Wholesaler to Sales & Distribution Partner, functioning as a preferred extension piece for all major companies and many Indie labels in the Benelux and beyond. In-house promo and marketing are part of the offering, as well as representation for subsidiaries Music On Vinyl, V2 Records and a wide range of exclusive labels. V2 Records offers Promo opportunities in the Benelux, France, Germany and the Nordic territories.
Local Sales offices are situated in 15 countries across Europe, serving retailers with their knowledgeable local teams, with back-up from Customer Care located at the HQ.
With an active catalogue of over 700.000 SKU’s available on B2B platform MyBertus.com, Bertus can deliver products across Europe from their Rotterdam-based warehouse on a 24hr cycle.
Bertus has become a household supplier to the majority of Indie and Key accounts, and data-provider to many online sales platforms.
http://my.bertus.com/home