Color Web Printers announced Friday morning it’s ending newspaper printing operations at its Cedar Rapids plant, effective Aug. 31.
As a result of the move, The Gazette and several other associated newspapers will be printed by Gannett Publishing Services in Des Moines, effective Aug. 26, company officials said in a news release.
The closure is set to impact 34 full-time and eight part-time employees at the plant, located at 4700 Bowling St. SW. The Gazette has been printed at the facility since 1999, when print operations transitioned from the newspaper’s downtown offices to the former Goss press manufacturing plant.
Other printing operations at Color Web, including the company’s digital printing and print distribution operations, will not be affected by the move, but Folience hopes to sell Color Web’s Goss U70 web press and lease or sell the Bowling Street facility as it seeks a new location for the remaining operations, The Gazette reported Friday.
Folience attributed the move to increased printing consolidation industry-wide and the end of several long-term printing contracts. Other printed publications being transitioned to production in Des Moines include the PennySaver, Southeast Iowa Union, Washington Evening Journal, Mt. Pleasant News, Fairfield Ledger and The Shopper.
“This was a very difficult decision, because it affects our fellow employee-owners, many of whom are long-time employees,” Folience CEO Daniel Goldstein said. “But the changing economics and consolidation of the print industry necessitates this.”
Subscribers and advertisers will not see an interruption of service from the move, officials said.
“When printing moves to Des Moines, nightly trucking, combined with our local distribution team, will maintain current production standards for our print readers,” Executive Editor Zack Kucharski said. “We remain just as committed to serving the local community as we ever have and are planning some changes that should increase content in some areas of the paper. We’ll detail some of those changes closer to the transition date.”
Folience is the parent company of The Gazette and Color Web Printers in Cedar Rapids, The Southeast Iowa Union in Washington, Life Line Emergency Vehicles in Sumner, and Cimarron Trailers in Chickasha, Oklahoma.
