Sussex-based Quad/Graphics Inc. plans to close its direct marketing plant in Atlanta, Ga., in early 2015.
BizTimes received a copy of a letter Quad/Graphics sent last week to its vendors, informing them of the plans to begin “stepping down” operations at the Atlanta plant at 3101 McCall Drive in early January. The entire plant will be closed by Feb. 1, the letter stated.
“In recent years, Quad/Graphics has invested heavily in our (direct marketing) platform with additional presses, inkjet technology and commingling capacity. As we look ahead to where we should make our next platform investments, it’s obvious that the presses in our Atlanta facility need significant, costly upgrades to remain productive and competitive. What’s more, the plant is 50 years old, is far too large for our needs and carries an expensive lease. The plant’s location also is not a good fit geographically with our commingling capabilities, which are concentrated in New Jersey and Wisconsin. Therefore, we decided to close facility sooner rather than later,” David Blais, executive vice president of global procurement and platform strategy for Quad/Graphics, stated in the letter.
Quad/Graphics spokeswoman Claire Ho confirmed the plan to close the Atlanta facility today. Ho said 100 jobs will be eliminated by the closure. The affected employees will have opportunities to apply for jobs in other Quad/Graphics plants, Ho said.
“We are optimizing our direct mail production platform to provide our customers with the widest variety of audience-engaging direct mail formats and faster in-home delivery, among other benefits,” Ho said. “We have invested heavily in our direct mail production platform over the past four years, spending nearly $70 million to add and upgrade equipment and capabilities. In the coming year, we will invest in additional platform enhancements that support our customer base. As part of our plans, we are centralizing our direct mail production operations in our Pewaukee, Wis.; Effingham, Ill.; Chalfont and York, Penn.; and Westampton and Monroe, N.J., plants, complemented by our two commingling super centers in Wisconsin and New Jersey.”
Ho said the Quad/Graphics plant in Pewaukee will likely absorb some of the work currently produced in Atlanta. Additional mailing volume will be processed through the company’s New Berlin commingling center, she said.
