The Leicester-based web offset printer is proposing 75 redundancies across the business, but with the firm’s bindery bearing the brunt of the potential cuts.

The 30-day consultation involves five managers, five office roles, 15 workers from the presshall and 50 from the bindery, according to sources close to the company.

The £32m turnover firm employs around 250 staff.

It is known for its high quality catalogue, brochure and customer magazine work, with clients including John Lewis and Laura Ashley.

Artisan has six web presses from 16pp to 48pp format and a large bindery with four Muller Martini Corona C18 perfect binding lines including a 30-station model. It also has two high-speed Tempo saddlestitchers.

In a statement, works director Gavin Hall said: “The web offset sector continues to face significant challenges in 2014 with overcapacity depressing prices in a contracting market.

“This action will offer the majority of our employees a very bright future and secure the company’s position in the marketplace.”

A source close to the situation commented: “It's a shock to everyone as they are extremely busy. It’s hard to believe they could cut the bindery by 50 staff. It could be a scare tactic by the management in order to push through changes to the cost base.”

This time last year workers at Artisan rejected proposed changes to terms and conditions including a cut in overtime rates. 

 [0] Separately, former Artisan sales manager Rob Moules has joined York Mailing in a group sales role. Moules joined York last month after a period of gardening leave. He becomes a member of group sales director Norman Revill’s 10-man team. “I’m really pleased with the team I have in place now, they are all top quality people,” Revill said.