Artone and Drew Hill have acquired Proper Music Group's assets, including Proper Music Distribution (PMD)—the UK's leading independent music distributor. The acquisition occurred following the appointment of joint administrators from Evelyn Partners on February 27.

The deal includes all companies under PMG—Proper Music Distribution, Proper Records, Proper Music Publishing, and propermusic.com. This acquisition will enable clients of both PMD and Artone to access comprehensive pan-European services including distribution, production, packaging, retail, and direct-to-consumer sales.

Jan Willem Kaaschieter, CEO at Artone, stated that PMD represents a perfect fit for their expansion plans. The acquisition ensures PMD's continued success and provides stability for its partners through Artone's expertise, financial strength, and extensive network.

Key aspects of the deal include:

• A new multi-year lease for PMD's Dartford warehouse
• Distribution services for over 5,000 independent labels
• Separation from Proper Group AG (formerly Utopia Music AG)

Drew Hill, who has led Proper Music Distribution for over 18 years, will continue as Managing Director. He emphasized that this transition will secure the business's future while maintaining their commitment to independent artists and labels.

The partnership aims to strengthen the physical distribution sector and ensure diverse choices for industry stakeholders. Both companies have previously collaborated and share a vision for maintaining a competitive physical music market.

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