The group plans to cut 150 middle management, administration, sales and support jobs, in addition to an unspecified number of manufacturing positions.

Chief executive Barry Hibbert said the group was in consultation with staff across its web offset sites, but added that he could not reveal specifics of where the cuts would fall.

"Unfortunately cost increases for raw materials and energy continue to rise and so we are being forced to make significant cuts in our cost base in web offset," said Hibbert.

"We will be cutting capacity by up to 25% in web offset through shift reductions and machine closures. We’re hoping to get the cuts that we need through agreements and that will avoid site closures."

Polestar’s proposal is thought to include 15 redundancies at Colchester, a reduction in shifts at Chromoworks that could lead to around 20 redundancies, and a reduction in shifts on one of the presses at Chantry that would also lead to a number of redundancies.

In addition, PrintWeek understands that Aktrion, which recently signed an outsourcing deal with Polestar to take over the running of the bindery at Colchester, is in consultation with staff about a possible 12 redundancies. Aktrion was unavailable for comment.

Unite national officer Steve Sibbald said: "We’re in discussions across the country with our regional officers on ways to try to avoid the redundancies or mitigate the effects.

"It’s a continuing onslaught on the industry. It’s desperately sad but we have to live in the big, wide, nasty commercial world unfortunately."

Hibbert added that he hoped the combined capacity reduction across UK web offset from Polestar and Wyndeham would go a significant way towards right-sizing the sector.

"I’m hoping that we should get back into a supply and demand equilibrium, certainly within the next six months," he said. "However these cuts alone will not cover the severe cost inflation we are facing and so price increases are also being discussed."

PROPOSED WEB OFFSET CUTS
• 150 jobs in middle management, administration, sales and support
• Polestar Chantry: reduction in shifts on one press – expected to lead to redundancies
• Polestar Chromoworks: approximately 20 redundancies as a result of shift reductions
• Polestar Colchester: 15 redundancies
• Aktrion (Colchester bindery): 12 redundancies