Today the Telegraaf Media Groep (TMG) is announcing a new and important step in the transition to a focus on core business and main brands. In this context, the company is making known its intention to reduce its printing operations from 10 to 4 printing presses. Part of the printing volume will be outsourced to external parties that will be determined at a later date. The proposed decision follows an announcement from the TMG Board of Directors in December 2014 in which they indicated that printing will no longer be part of TMG’s core activities. The reorganisation will render 168 employees redundant.

All TMG printing operations will be concentrated at the Amsterdam premises (Rotatie Drukkerij Voorburgwal), which will result in the closure of the site in Alkmaar (Drukkerij Noord Holland). The branch in Amsterdam will dismantle 3 of its presses.

Geert-Jan van der Snoek, chairman of the TMG Board of Directors: ‘This intention is based on a necessary and drastic decision. The printing plants are at the roots of our business operations and it is painful to have to part with staff who have worked for the business for so many years with so much heart. But the market that we operate in is undergoing major and rapid changes. It is up to us to adapt the company to the new reality across the board and to focus on our core business.’

Ernst Schot, director of the TMG facilities services that are in charge of the printing operations: ‘Intervention is unavoidable. There is overcapacity in the market. In addition, there has been a persistent decline in the circulation of our newspapers due to the shift from paper to digital. Measures are needed to align operational printing costs with those developments.’

The proposed decision will lead to the retention of employment for 86 FTEs. The expectation is that approximately 168 of the more than 250 members of staff will be made redundant. They are covered by the Social Plan of TMG as earlier this week a principle agreement was reached that the Social Plan will not expire before 1 December 2015. The basic principle of the Social Plan is that redundant employees are guided from job to job and a mobility centre will be set up for them.

The request to render advice on the proposed decision was submitted to TMG’s Central Works Council on 25 June 2015. If they give a positive recommendation, the aim is to complete the reorganisation by 31 December 2015 at the latest.