COST savings at Trinity Mirror PLC will lead to the closure of Wales’ largest newspaper printing facility, The Herald understands.
The print centre, located in Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff currently prints The South Wales Evening Post, The Western Mail, The Carmarthen Journal, Llanelli Star, The Tenby Observer and all of the Herald newspaper titles. However, the loss of an important contract to print The Metro daily newspaper as well as the long term decline in newspaper sales omeans that the owners are looking to restructure.
Over thirty members of staff at the site have been told that there is now a thirty day consultation regarding their futures. An announcement will be made on December 23.
Thomas Sinclair, Editor of the Herald newspapers, said: “This is sad day for the newspaper industry Wales. Over the last few years we have developed a strong relationship with the staff at the Cardiff print centre and we feel for those members of staff who will lose their jobs so close to Christmas.”
Thomas Sinclair added: “It is now expected that most of the Welsh newspaper titles will be printed in either Birmingham or Watford. This means earlier deadlines, and less flexibility for the press in Wales. There will certainly be logistical challenges for us to produce newspapers so far away from west Wales and get them to the shops on time.
We are confident however, that despite these challenges, we will still be able to deliver four strong titles every Friday.”
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