Predictions that this is the year we will see further fundamental structural change in the UK web offset market appear to be coming to pass.

In the past seven days we've learned of two imminent plant closures in the commercial web world. And if we widen the net of speculation to include publication printing of all flavours then a further four factories currently have a question mark over their future existence. Meanwhile, the consolidation conjecture rolls on.

My list of the web offset and gravure closures and casualties since the turn of the century requires something of an update - the tally is now more than twenty sites consigned to the history books.

An enormous amount of change has already taken place when one thinks about it, and yet so many things seem to have stayed exactly the same. Perhaps the end game really is approaching now.