Reach printing site in Watford earmarked for closure. Picture: Google Street View
Reach has proposed to close two of its three remaining print sites across the UK.
It plans to close its printing plants in Glasgow and Watford this year.
The work served by the Scottish print site will move mostly to Reach’s remaining operation in Oldham, with the rest being done at DC Thomson’s facility in Dundee from the spring.
The work currently done in Watford will be moved via a ten-year commercial outsourcing agreement to the Broxbourne site owned by Newsprinters, a joint venture between News UK and DMG Media. The transition is due to start in June and be completed by the the end of July.
Staff affected who work at the printing plants have now entered a consultation period.
Reach chief executive Piers North said: “Print remains an important part of our business, and will continue to drive considerable circulation revenue, but our future is firmly rooted in digital. This consolidation is a proactive and strategic move, positioning our business for long-term success.
“By refining our print operations, we can focus our attention on content and audiences – the core driver of our business – and accelerate our digital growth opportunities such as our digital subscriptions offering.”
Three-quarters (76%) of Reach revenue continues to come from print (£194.1m out of £256m in the first half of 2025 ).
North added in an email to staff: “You’ll often hear me say that our print business is exceptionally well run – it continues to deliver impressive revenues and to attract a loyal and hugely valued customer base. However, given the current customer demand for printed products across the UK and trajectory for the future, I believe now is the right time to consolidate our printing work, to continue to serve our customers and deliver on our strategy.”
Reach is now looking for a new location for its archive of more than 120 years of newspapers, which are currently housed at the Watford site.
Newsprinters, which owns three print facilities, was created in 2024 as News UK (publisher of The Sun and The Times) and DMG Media (Daily Mail, Metro, The i Paper) combined their printing operations . Two DMG printing sites closed as a result. The publishers noted that national print newspaper circulation had fallen by more than 60% in the previous decade.
Newsprinters chief executive Darren Barker said this week: “This agreement represents another major milestone for Newsprinters and will help to ensure the long-term sustainability of UK print media in a challenging market.”
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