It”™s not the Brewers taking Music Sales Group”™s print music distribution center away from the Hudson Valley, it”™s a merger with Hal Leonard, based in Wisconsin, “ a friendlier state to do business in,” said Tomas Wise, whose grandfather started the company in the U.S. during the Great Depression.
With eight offices and three distribution centers from North America to Australia, Music Sales Group is one of the largest printers of sheet music in the industry. Its bucolic Bellvale Road distribution center in Chester employs nearly 60 people. More than half ”“ perhaps 40 ”“ will be out of work when the print music division moves to Milwaukee and merges with Hal Leonard this summer.Â
Wise, a director of his grandfather”™s music company, is sorry so many employees are going to be hurt by the decision to relocate. “We”™ve been here in Chester since 1972, so it”™s quite difficult,” said Wise, visiting from the company”™s London office. “We have tried to keep this going here since 2001, but New York is not the most friendly state to do business in and we will have a much better distribution point in Milwaukee because of our merger with Hal Leonard”™s than we do here.”
Two of the three companies located at its 70,000-square-foot distribution center will be staying, retaining approximately 20 employees and administrative staff, said John Castaldo, the company”™s controller. “It”™s sad for everyone,” said Castaldo. “We tried out best to avoid this. For the financial health of the company, we have to become more efficient. We”™ll have a more centralized location in Wisconsin for our shipping needs in our new merger. And while we”™ll lose jobs here, they will be created somewhere else. Our rental department and book division, as well as our other products, will still be here in Chester.”
Music Sales has approximately 500 employees worldwide and provides copyright protection for nearly a quarter-million songs, as well as sheet music, digital music notebooks and print books on musical artists. Storyville Records, one of the word”™s oldest independent jazz labels, is in its catalog of services.
