The plant in Lombardy produces analogue offset plates and negative computer-to-conventional plates, demand for which is in decline, said the company. No firm date for closure has been set but all staff are likely to lose their jobs. “The market for the products is in irreversible decline,” said corporate press relations manager Johan Jacobs. “Analogue plates are not asked for much now; that technology is almost completely replaced by digital printing plates.” He did not reveal volumes of plates produced or the turnover of the factory, but among the products made at the site are Aluva plates. However, the company stressed that production was not being stopped, it was being relocated elsewhere in Italy or maybe Germany. “Nobody should be concerned because no types of plate are being phased out, this is just a reshuffling of our production facilities. We are in constant optimisation of manufacturing sites,” said Jacobs. Agfa Graphics, which moved into the building in 2004, is in talks with employees and trade unions and is drawing up a redundancy plan. President Stefaan Vanhooren said: “This decision is part of our strategy to improve operational efficiency, margins and competitive position in the highly competitive pre-press market.” The company said it was developing a footing in new segments of industrial inkjets for posters, banners, signage, displays, labels and packaging...

The plant in Lombardy produces analogue offset plates and negative computer-to-conventional plates, demand for which is in decline, said the company. No firm date for closure has been set but all staff are likely to lose their jobs. “The market for the products is in irreversible decline,” said corporate press relations manager Johan Jacobs. “Analogue plates are not asked for much now; that technology is almost completely replaced by digital printing plates.” He did not reveal volumes of plates produced or the turnover of the factory, but among the products made at the site are Aluva plates. However, the company stressed that production was not being stopped, it was being relocated elsewhere in Italy or maybe Germany. “Nobody should be concerned because no types of plate are being phased out, this is just a reshuffling of our production facilities. We are in constant optimisation of manufacturing sites,” said Jacobs. Agfa Graphics, which moved into the building in 2004, is in talks with employees and trade unions and is drawing up a redundancy plan. President Stefaan Vanhooren said: “This decision is part of our strategy to improve operational efficiency, margins and competitive position in the highly competitive pre-press market.” The company said it was developing a footing in new segments of industrial inkjets for posters, banners, signage, displays, labels and packaging...

It prolongs a long-standing relationship with the weekly politics and current affairs title, which has an ABC of 63,343. Andrew Neil, chairman at Spectator publisher Press Holdings Media Group, praised Wyndeham for its “great service” and ability to evolve to changing print media requirements. The stitched title is printed on Norske Skog Norcote Super paper, and has a tight production schedule. “The schedule is very demanding. We receive files at 1pm and the first collection is at 6pm,” said Heron managing director David Emeny. The Spectator has a mix of subscriber and newsstand sales, and is one of the titles set to benefit from Wyndeham’s £300,000 investment in two mailing lines. The spend encompasses a new Sitma line that has selective inserting and the ability to inkjet in three positions, along with a refurbished Buhrs system to provide additional capacity and backup. “It’s the sort of added-value service that it makes sense to invest in,” Emeny added. “The Sitma is all-singing, all-dancing and we’ve brought all our outwork back in-house.” Heron’s mailing was previously carried out by Finco in Witham. Heron has Tupe’d over a number of staff from the company to run the new lines. The Sitma is already up and running, and the Buhrs is just about to go into production. The company took out two surplus stitching lines to make room for the new kit....

“There used to be four big web printers, now there are two. As options have narrowed there is the potential for the market to tighten,” Tame said. “There is a very real danger in this environment that small- to medium-sized publishers could struggle to find security of supply or be priced out of the market in the next two-to-three years.” Tame has launched a sales push into the publishing sector, having reviewed the facilities at the Witham-based company since joining the business earlier this year. He described it as “in every way shape and form a magazine production plant.” Woodford runs a 48pp KBA Compacta C618 web, two G14s, and a 14-station Kolbus perfect binder. It also has two Muller Martini stitching lines. The firm has also been working with Mellow Colour on colour management control and has just achieved an 86% pass on the Compacta. “We can print to ISO standard up there with the very best,” Tame stated. The £13.2m turnover company employs around 60 staff, and recently agreed new flexible working arrangements that will allow it to flex its available capacity to better effect. It has also taken on Mark Pitman as new business development manager focused on publishing clients. Pitman previously worked at Headley Brothers, BGP and Cooper Clegg....

It prolongs a long-standing relationship with the weekly politics and current affairs title, which has an ABC of 63,343. Andrew Neil, chairman at Spectator publisher Press Holdings Media Group, praised Wyndeham for its “great service” and ability to evolve to changing print media requirements. The stitched title is printed on Norske Skog Norcote Super paper, and has a tight production schedule. “The schedule is very demanding. We receive files at 1pm and the first collection is at 6pm,” said Heron managing director David Emeny. The Spectator has a mix of subscriber and newsstand sales, and is one of the titles set to benefit from Wyndeham’s £300,000 investment in two mailing lines. The spend encompasses a new Sitma line that has selective inserting and the ability to inkjet in three positions, along with a refurbished Buhrs system to provide additional capacity and backup. “It’s the sort of added-value service that it makes sense to invest in,” Emeny added. “The Sitma is all-singing, all-dancing and we’ve brought all our outwork back in-house.” Heron’s mailing was previously carried out by Finco in Witham. Heron has Tupe’d over a number of staff from the company to run the new lines. The Sitma is already up and running, and the Buhrs is just about to go into production. The company took out two surplus stitching lines to make room for the new kit....