Cengage Learning is a publishing company located in Stamford, Connecticut. They currently publish digital and print information for schools and universities, as well as learning material for other professional marketplaces. The company has around 6,000 employees actively working out of more than 30 countries.
Cengage Learning publishes educational material at the high school, University, and graduate-level. Cengage Learning is known for specializing in digital content publishing these days it seems. Along with publishing print and digital educational material for students, the company develops and distributes print and digital content for government agencies, corporations, libraries, and teachers. Cengage Learning is also one of the five higher-education textbook publishers behind the increasingly-popular CourseSmart company.
The Cengage Learning company started in October of 2006. Thomson Learning at the time was an important division of the Thomson Corporation, worth an estimated 5 billion dollars. It was offered for sale and was bought by two private equity firms for 7.75 billion dollars. The company name was officially changed to Cengage Learning in July of 2007. Since changing their name, the company has grown through numerous business acquisitions. All of their business acquisitions had obviously been operating within the extremely competitive textbook publishing industry.
In May of 2008, the company bought PAL Publications, a popular series of professional reference materials. In June of 2008, Cengage Learning acquired the Houghton Mifflin College Division. This business acquisition was an important asset for the company, as the Houghton Mifflin College Division was an extremely large and popular textbook publisher for both two and four year colleges. In July of the same year, the company bought Gatlin Educational Services. With this purchase, Cengage Learning began focusing on their web-based training services for other learning providers. To end a very productive year for the company, in December of 2008 they acquired HighBeam Research.
The following year, in 2009, Publishers Weekly ranked Cengage Learning eleventh out of fifty total global publishers, based upon yearly revenues. The company reportedly brought in close to 2 billion dollars during this year. The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cengage Learning company is Ronald G. Dunn. The company has a foundation rooted in five core values. These values are: integrity, respect, commitment, collaboration, and accountability.
The Cengage Learning company has several globally-recognized publishing brands. Their Brooks/Cole brand focuses on publishing content on the subjects of mathematics and physical sciences. Their Course Technology brand focuses on publishing content in the information technology field. Their Delmar brand focuses on publishing content on the subjects of healthcare, technology, and career education. Their Gale brand focuses on publishing various subjects in the K-12 educational market. Their Heinle brand focuses on publishing English-language programs. Their South-Western brand primarily focuses on publishing content on the subjects of business and economics. And finally, their Wadsworth brand focuses on publishing content for the humanities, and the behavioral and social sciences.
Cengage Learning is also the company behind the increasingly-popular www.CengageBrain.com. This website gives University students several options when it comes to buying their required educational materials. One option available to students on Cengage Brain is a textbook rental. Students can usually rent their required textbook for around 50% off the suggested retail price. Students also have the option to purchase eTextbooks and individual eChapters from the website as well. Cengage Learning uses this site to distribute their huge variety of homework and study tools too. They also offer free content and special discounts for students that choose to use their services.