Vertis is refocusing production at its Leicester site to concentrate on heavily personalised work.


Vertis Europe managing director Adriaan Roosen said the group would decommission an 18-year-old Komori web and make 25 staff redundant.


The site, which employs around 500 staff, will exit production of non-personalised insert work, he added.


Vertis will also remove one old sheetfed press from the former Colorgraphic business.


Roosen, who joined the firm last November, had undertaken a strategic review of operations and of the presses the plant was using.


We now feel we have the kit to deliver value to customers, he said. The firms Goebel web, which it installed a couple of years ago, will be a central component of the plant. Roosen also said the firm had no plans to move lasering work from the plant.


We are absolutely optimistic about our focus and we have seen positive effects from our salesforce and clients, added Roosen.


The Leicester site handles direct mail for financial, retail and telecommunications clients.


US parent group Big Flower re-branded Colorgraphic and its sister company, Olwen Direct Mail, under the Vertis name three months ago (PrintWeek, 26 January).


There had been rumours that Big Flower was looking to sell the print businesses of the former Colorgraphic businesses but Roosen subsequently denied them (PrintWeek, 2 February).


The US direct marketing group bought Olwen Direct Mail in September 1997 and followed that up with its acquisition of Colorgraphic in late 1998.


Story by Gordon Carson