Industry News

Express confirms plans to walk away from West Ferry

Newspaper publisher Express Newspapers Group has confirmed that it is to go ahead with building a new print facility rather than upgrading its existing West Ferry facility.

The company, which publishes the Daily Express and Daily Star, announced earlier this year that it would be investing £100m in new presses from KBA.

However, it did not specify if the machines would be installed at West Ferry or, as industry speculation suggested, a new site to the north of London.

A joint statement issued by KBA and Express this week confirmed that the company is to move from its Docklands home to an as yet unnamed site.

It added that the site would be "possibly to the north of London and close to the M1/M25 corridor".

Express has ordered 22 KBA Commander CT 4/2 compact towers along with mailroom and publishing equipment from Ferag. There are plans for additional printing towers, reel stands and heatset dryers at a later stage, turning the plant into a heatset/coldest hybrid.

West Ferry and Broughton Printers’ chief executive David Broadhurst said: "The £100m investment is split between the north and south print centres.

"We have a stage two option with KBA for the supply of a further twelve units and two folders of the same CT for Preston together with an additional unit for the existing Commander."

Adam Hooker - printweek.com