Offset Paperback Manufacturing closing Back Mountain office

Nico Rossi
·1 min read

DALLAS, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Offset Paperback Manufacturers announced Tuesday, that the company will be closing the doors to its Back Mountain facility at the end of May.

Officials say this is due to an ongoing and rapid decline that’s been occurring steadily for the last six years and will continue in years to come.

The demand for reduction is based on three fundamental rules:

  • A general reduction in mass marketing/digest volume due to different developments.

  • A reduction in the length of print runs within each job.

  • A switch in formats from Mass Market formats to Mass Market Max and Softcover formats.

The manufacturing company will relocate to a plant owned by its parent company, Bertelsmann Printing Group, located in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

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According to a letter mailed to all staff signed by Christof Ludwig the C.E.O. of Offset’s parent company BPG-USA, as well as the C.O.O. Jorge Velasco,” The Board has explored all possible options to avoid the painful decision, but the massive decline in the Mass marker and Digest book segments will make it impossible to operate 2 printing plans.”

As the company letter reads, Bertelsmann Printing Group has worked for three years to beat obstacles including reduced print lengths and volumes, but the Dallas facility along with its Martinsburg plant posted a 56% decline in combined mass market unit production between 2017 and this year, from 149 million units to 65 million.

A further decline is expected in 2024 and Offset plans on closing its doors no later than January 31, 2024.

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