News

Four years seems a long time at the start of a career, but is it a long time in print? As I close my PrintWeek notebook for good, to move to the not-so-distant world of packaging as editor of Packaging News, it seems a good time to reflect on some of the changes in the sector.

A look at the first issue of PrintWeek I worked on, dated 8 April 2004, gives mixed messages as to how much the industry has changed. Names such as Cooper Clegg, Purnell or TPL Printers are now distant memories. But much of what was happening that week is still resonating today.

For instance, Polestar was closing in on a site to build its newest gravure facility, which ended up in Sheffield. The lead story for that week’s magazine concerned negotiations over the print contract for Associated Newspapers’ supplements, which eventually went to Polestar Sheffield. That, in turn, was a huge factor in the closure of Quebecor World in Corby, which only bit the dust at the start of this year.

April 2004 also brought an industry-wide consultation into one of our favourite topics: a training levy. Unsurprisingly, print rejected the scheme. But had it been accepted, would we be waiting this week, four years later, for news of whether the government will give its backing to a National Skills Academy for print? I suspect not.

My feeling is that UK print has been transformed. It is now far leaner. We now have the world’s most modern newspaper printing network thanks to News International and the rest. We have some of the top long-run sites, thanks to Prinovis, Polestar and BGP among others. We also have some of the best digital printers, such as PrintWeek’s 2007 Company of the Year Inc Direct, and a growing specialism in point-of-sale print led by companies such as Bezier.

So it is with some sadness that I bid farewell to the industry that has fascinated me for the past four years. UK print is full of hard-working and passionate people and it’s been a pleasure to come into contact with all those I have. Good luck to you all.

Josh Brooks became editor of PrintWeek sister title Packaging News on 16 July.