Ringier ceases newspaper printing operations in Adligenswil

The realignment is due to the "changed market environment in the Swiss printing market", according to a press release. As a result, Ringier is concentrating its printing activities on Swissprinters in Zofingen and plans to close the newspaper printing plant in Adligenswil at the end of 2018. The reason for this is a constant decline in order revenues coupled with difficult economic prospects for the future. With this decision, Ringier is also taking account of the general shift from print to online publishing.

Due to falling market prices and insufficient utilization of production capacity, the Ringier Print printing center in Adligenswil will no longer be able to cover its costs in the future, the media company writes. The loss of several significant print orders from third-party customers in recent months and a general decline in print runs have further exacerbated the economic situation, meaning that a stable future is no longer guaranteed.

On Tuesday became knownthat the Luzern Zeitung will no longer be printed by Ringier but by Tamedia from 2019. Did this decision have a direct impact on the closure in Adligenswil? "The loss of contracts in recent months has exacerbated the difficult situation at Ringier Print Adligenswil, but is not the sole reason for the difficult economic situation at Ringier Print Adligenswil," said René Beutner, CCO of Ringier, when asked by Werbewoche. "Newspaper printing is experiencing overcapacity throughout Switzerland. Market prices are under enormous pressure. Dependence on orders from third parties is increasing. This is not least due to the ongoing erosion in the print business and the shift towards digital," Beutner continues.

In future, Ringier will therefore concentrate its printing activities at the Swissprinters web offset printing plant in Zofingen.

172 employees affected

Marc Walder, CEO of Ringier, clarified in a press release: "It is no longer economically viable to continue the Adligenswil newspaper printing plant." The company regrets the closure and will do everything in its power "to find the best possible socially acceptable solution for the employees affected and will work closely with the staff committee to this end."

172 employees of Ringier Print Adligenswil are affected by the discontinuation of printing operations. The consultation process with the staff committee was opened on Wednesday. The employees will continue to be employed until the closure at the end of 2018. As part of the existing social plan, the extent to which some of the job losses can be absorbed through early retirement and follow-up solutions will be examined.

Tamedia takes over

The newspapers published by Ringier and Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland - Blick, Blick am Abend, SonntagsBlick, Handelszeitung and Le Temps - will in future be printed at Tamedia's printing centers in Zurich, Berne and Bussigny. All new vacancies at Tamedia's printing centers in Berne and Zurich will be offered to employees of Ringier Print Adligenswil.

Ringier Print in Adligenswil currently employs 172 permanent staff and produces daily, weekly, trade and association newspapers as well as advertising supplements and customer newspapers. The fulfillment of production orders until the end of 2018 is guaranteed.

Syndicom criticizes decision - and Tamedia in particular

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Syndicom criticized "the lack of will on the part of the large media companies to want to run their printing plants under the changing market conditions". It remains to be seen whether Tamedia will continue to offer such low prices in the future when all the competition has disappeared. The "now quasi-monopoly newspaper printing company" Tamedia is being called upon by Syndicom to submit to the collective labor agreement of the graphic arts industry again without discussion.

The media company on Werdstrasse is said to be partly to blame for the death of the printing plants: "With its dumping price strategy, Tamedia is snatching orders at conditions that put other publishers and printing plants under pressure and make the closure of its own printing plants appear more attractive than their continued operation for its own newspapers." The consequences of this "disastrous price competition" were already suffered by the employees of the NZZ printing plant two years ago. (hae)