Polestar sales and marketing director John Ashfield has dismissed rumours that the group had plans to close its Greaves gravure plant in Scarborough as scurrilous.


There was no truth in the rumours at all, he added. They are rumours which have been put around by people who just want to damage us.


Ashfield said that the only meaningful news to emerge from Polestars gravure operations was the recent restructuring, which saw its Petty and Watford plants placed in the newly-created News & Consumer division under Chris Pavloskys control.


We have got some exciting plans for our gravure business in the UK, he added. Thats all I can say on the subject now.


Polestar said that it was conducting a review of non-core activities last month when it released its third-quarter results (PrintWeek, 18 August). An action plan had also been put in place to improve utilisation of capacity.


The group restructured into six operating divisions two months ago (Print-Week, 7 July), including News & Consumer, Packaging and Magazines & Catalogues.


Story by Gordon Carson