OXFORD'S oldest and biggest printing works is being shut down with the loss of 200 jobs. Oxford University Press says the closure of its printers in Walton Street follows years of unprofitable operations. Only a small printing facility is to be kept for internal use. It will provide about 50 jobs.
The governing body of Oxford University Press (OUP), the Delegates, say they cannot go on absorbing losses on printing operations without harming their successful publishing activities. For many years the printing division provided far more jobs than the publishing side. Now the situation is reversed. In the printing house the staff has dwindled from 900 in 1970 to 250. More trading losses - this year they are expected to top £1.6 million - now mean the printing staff will soon be reduced to 50.
OUP recently celebrated 500 years of printing in Oxford. The extent of the rundown shocked many employees. The printing works is now in the third year of a £2 million investment programme aimed at increasing its competitiveness. Management admits that changes have not worked, despite the efforts of employees and new working practices. For a while OUP were prepared to carry trading losses in the hope of a return to profitability.
At a meeting on Tuesday the Delegates decided they could not continue with this attitude. The Oxford printing house accounts for only six per cent of OUP's worldwide sales of £100 million. In recent years more and more of the books publiished by OUP in Oxford have gone to other printers. The jobs will begin to go in April. Redundancy terms are now being negotiated.
ABOUT 200 jobs are being axed at Oxford University Press's Walton Street printing house. The announcement, following substantial trading losses for several years, came as a bolt from the blue for workers.
OUP, which has publishing branches worldwide, has struggled to keep the printing house afloat since 1970. But the current year's expected loss of more than £1.6 million forced Press delegates to decide on its almost total shutdown. Printing at the North Oxford premises now represents about six per cent of OUP's total international sales of £100 million. Much of the company's and Oxford University's printing is done there as well as printing for other customers. In the last 18 years, staffing has been slashed from about 900 to the present level of 250. Now another 200 are set to go with the remaining 50 possibly redeployed.
Group public relations officer Kate Jury said: "We have made every effort to save the business over the years. "OUP as a group is no longer able to absorb losses on this scale without prejudicing the needs of its successful publishing operations." But she said: "I think this degree of closure has come as a surprise to the people working at the printing house."
Members of Sogat '82, the National Graphical Association, the Amalgamated Engineering, and Electrical Electronics and Plumbing unions had the news broken to them yesterday afternoon. Jobs affected run across the board from keyboard operators and compositors, machine printers and assistants, to bookbinders, clerical and management. A 90-day consultation period has now started to agree a date for closing down the main operation, redundancy terms for the bulk of the workforce and new jobs for the rest. A small printing unit to cater for some internal OUP and university needs will continue on the site, but as yet, details are not known.
OUP invested heavily in new equipment and machinery for the printing house to boost its strength in a highly competitive market. But financial results were still poor and the Press carried a number of trading losses in the hope of a recovery. Ms Jury said: "When the figures came through for this financial year ending in April, I think they decided it just could not go on."
WORKERS were shocked at the news that 200 jobs are to go at the Walton Street printing house of Oxford University Press. The entire workforce of the printing division assembled in the Press's litho room to be told the bad news yesterday afternoon.
Mr Herby Gibbons, 58, of Cherry Close, Kidlington, an OUP worker for the past 34 years, said: "We were expecting something, but news of a complete closedown came as a devastation. After the meeting there was hardly anything said - people just walked away in disbelief. We have had a big investment of more than £1 million during the past two years within OUP printing, and we thought our future was virtually safe, but it turns out it was not," said Mr Gibbons, a storeman in the bindery section. Mr Gibbons, who was SOGAT father of chapel (union section) of the bindery chapel for 20 years until 1987, added: "Whether it was the market changes, or the city council rating values over factories in the city, we do not know."
A folding machine assistant in the bindery, Mr Alan Parsons - an OUP worker for the past 15 years - said: "I feel devastated the same as everyone else - it's the only word you can use to describe it. Generally people working at OUP are like a close-knit family, and news of this closure has come as a great blow. When a firm has been going for 500 years, words cannot describe how you feel about part of it closing down," said Mr Parsons, 35, of Jordan Hill, Oxford.
Mr Pat Curley, 38, also of Jordan Hill, who has worked at OUP for 24 years since leaving school, said: "I feel the same as everyone else - that is total shock. I do not think it has properly sunk in yet." Keyboard operator Mr Norman Dean, of Nelson Street, Jericho, who has worked for OUP during the past 20 years, said: "Everyone is completely shocked. There had been rumours for some time that something could happen, but not on this scale with a complete close-down of the printing and bindery sides."
Another of the printers said: "It came as a complete bombshell. Everyone knew there had been problems with the budgets, and that there was going to be another meeting, but we didn't know it would be anything iike this." A woman worker said: "I think it is very, very sad indeed because I came here as a young girl from school in the nineteen forties and I have worked under six printers. I never thought it would come to this."
UNIONS at Oxford University Press have attacked the decision to shut down the 500-year-old printing house with the loss of about 200 jobs. The two print unions at OUP dismissed the company plan to close the Walton Street works in Oxford as a political move with no economic justification.
The National Graphical Association (NGA) and the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (Sogat '82). which represent 250 OUP printing house workers, have launched a joint campaign to fight the proposed closure. They are poised to call for an independent inquiry into OUP's financial operations, and they claim widespread support for the printing house to be kept going.
A joint union statement said: "NGA and Sogat '82 officials have been overwhelmed by offers of help to fight the closure plans with all the means at their disposal, on the grounds that the move is political rather than economic. Professors, dons, editors and authors, together with leading academics within Oxford University, are quite clear that they are not satisfied with the recent explanations given by the delegates over the reasons for closure," the statement said.
The Delegates - the OUP governing body - announced the closure on February 2 amid forecasts of a £1.6 million deficit in the current year after a period of poor trading results. But the unions described the company as a thriving institution, with massive financial assets, and cited a recent donation of £1.3 million to various University projects. "How can they then claim that a projected loss of about the same amount is sufficient reason to send so many fine craftsmen into oblivion?" said the unions.
The NGA and Sogat '82 claimed that recent investment at OUP was "much too late" and said the Delegates had not looked seriously at alternatives to closing the printing house. The unions called for a closer look at relocation of the works to a less expensive site as a possible move to keep the business viable. The unions' national and Oxford branch officials will meet workers' representatives on Saturday to draw up an anti-closure campaign which is expected to call for an inquiry into OUP affairs.
OUP Press spokesman Ms Kate Jury rejected claims that the closure decision was economicaily unsound, or that past investment in the business and in the University had been ill-timed or unwise. "The real issue here is the continuing viability of the printing house, and we've looked at many other options and business plans before taking the decision which the delegates came to," she sald.
THE delegates of the University Press have decided that OUP as a group is no longer able to absorb the losses made by its Printing Division, which is therefore to be closed. Less than a year ago the Delegates took a different view, as reported in the Senior Proctor's Oration to Congregation on 16th March 1988:
"The Press... is thriving... The trading position is presently sufficiently favourable that the Press has transferred £1.3 million to the University this month to fund certain urgent projects. Furthermore the Press expects to be able to make similar sums available for at least the next two financial years and this in addition to printing to the value of £300,000 per annum which is offered to the University as payment in kind."
In the current year the Printing Division's trading loss is expected to be £1.6 million. Do the delegates have any mathematicians among their number? Obviously not, or they would have noticed that the tradirng loss equates exactly to the profits which they themselves have given away for nothing.
Are there any sociologists among them? Or, perhaps, anyonce with a social conscience? If so, let them realise that their decision condemns at least 200 printing workers and their families to the dole queue. Are there any historians in the Clarendon Building? Let them consider the 500 years of printing history made by the workers of the University Press. In 1978 a book published to celebrate the quincentenary of the introduction of printing to Oxford ended with the author recording his "thanks to the Secretary and Delegates of the Oxford University Press for honouring me with the commission to write this account of a tradition which it is their task to extend to future ages."
Clearly the present Secretary and Delegates care as little for this tradition as they care for the workers who perpetuate it. It will be for the workers themselves, therefore, to recall the Delegates to their duty and insist that 2OO jobs must be saved and the tradition must go on. I am sure that they will be joined in this by their fellow-workers in the Publishing Division.
DAVID SAWER
Secretary, MSF Oxford Publishing Branch,
Divinity Road, Oxford.
THE fact-of-life economics of running a book printing business in the late 20th century appear to have been responsible for dealing the near-fatal blow to OUP's Printing House, which was among pioneers of book printing in the 15th century, described as "a tragedy" by one observer.
While other printers have long since decamped to purpose-built premises in low-overhead greenfield sites, the Printing House - which is being run-down to a small unit servicing OUP and the University with the loss of 200 of its 250 workforce - has been trapped in the centre of traffic-congested Oxford, burdened with high rates and handicapped by a works spread over three floors. And while other University and publisher-owned printers exist by feeding off the parent publisher, as well as competing for business from third-party publishers, the Printing House has had to find the bulk of its turnover from outside customers.
Less than a year ago, PN's printing industry reporter attended an Open Day at the Printing House and was told that only 25 per cent of its business emanated from the publishing company. Last week OUP's group Public Relations Manager, Kate Jury, said that of the printing division's £6 million turnover in its latest financial year, some 40 per cent was provided by OUP business.
But this, clearly, was still not enough. And although OUP had supported the Printing House with £1.8 million capital three years ago, which was spent on new machinery investment, one observer pointed out that they had disposed of long-run web machinery, which meant that they could no longer print OUP's own dictionaries, in favour of short-run sheet fed business. "And you can't run a printer on short-run business," was one comment made to PN last week.
"Apart from that, few publishers would make the Printing House their first choice for a job. It's not that they didn't compete on price, but they have a somewhat inflexible attitude about service to the customer." The Printing House represents about 6 per cent of OUP's worldwide sales of £100 million and in the current trading year its trading loss will be "more than £1.6 million". OUP point out that despite substantial investment, and a reduction in staffing from the 1970 levels of around 900 to 250, "there has been a succession of unsatisfactory financial results in the Printing House, including a number of trading losses which the Press has been prepared to carry in the hope of a return to profitability".
OUP admitted that restructuring which began two years ago had not worked as planned and it was now felt that it was no longer able to absorb the printer's losses without prejudicing the needs of its successful publishing operations. Ironically, one observer claimed that in the Seventies, the reverse was the case when printing profits were being used to subsidise the publishing concern and were not reinvested in the Printing Company. Recent investment, he said, had come too late.
OUP spokeswoman Kate Jury acknowledged that "the world of printing has changed dramatically over the last decade" and maintained that the Printing House was no longer able to supply the diversity and type of printing work required by the University publisher. The closure of the Printing House's main business came as a particular shock to many in Oxford, where generations of families have depended on it for employment. Print union SOGAT local secretary Reg Beal, who first worked for the printer 25 years ago and whose father and uncle worked there, told PN: "The Printing House is part of Oxford - it's always been there and it seems unthinkable that it can close. This came as a complete surprise to everybody and I can't understand why it has to happen. They've got a top quality workforce and quality product." Consultations with the unions and staff associations have begun and OUP hopes to reemploy at least 50 of the 250 people affected.
OXFORD University Press is printing its last book this week, ending a history that goes back more than 500 years to within a whisker of the day when the founding father of typography himself, William Caxton, set up the first English printing press at Westminster. Its final volume, appropriately, is to be Tudor England by John Guy.
Mr David Stanford, 52, the thirtieth 'Printer to the University', will then be declared redundant. Although it has printed six million books in the past year, OUP has been defeated by the economics of new technology, and all its work will now be contracted to outside printers.
Mr Harry James, just retired as the British Museum's Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities, called the move an act of academic vandalism, saying it had 'the best hieroglyphic fount ever designed'. Retired actuary and Classics reader Hugh Stewart noted that in the 'esoteric matter of accents in Ancient Greek, the real experts are not the scholars but OUP's compositors'. The Press's compositors were equally at ease with Minoan, Sanskrit, Syriac, Ethiopic, Coptic and Amharic characters.
The demise of OUP's printing operation is regarded as the loss of a major institution. Lady Brunner wrote to the Times suggesting that 'were the Press a stately home or part of the coastline, it might be saved by the National Trust'. Although printing in Oxford began in 1478, just two years after Caxton set up his press, it was in 1585 that the post of Printer to the University was established. Thirty Printers later, OUP is still a university department, controlled by academics who are appointed as Delegates of the Press.
It is still among the most successful academic publishers, but it has always operated differently from its more commercial rivals. Trying to keep learned works in print, it continued selling Wilkins's Coptic New Testament from 1716 until the first edition of 500 copies sold out in 1907. The OUP can be equally patient with authors. In 1901 a young scientist signed a contract for a history of chemistry which was delivered and published only in 1971.
The Delegates of the Press bave become increasingly worried by the financial losses of the printing operation. A £2 million modernisation programme two years ago failed to stem the tide, and the loss in the current financial year will be £1.6 million. At the end of January the Delegates decided to stop the presses. Two hundred employees have been declared redundant. An OUP spokesman yesterday pointed out that the 'hieroglyphic fount', now on computer, is to be loaned to Cambridge University Press, and the experts in Greek accents departed some time ago. OUP will continue to publish scholarly books, he said, the only difference being that they will be printed outside.
13th February from Mr T. G. H. James, FBA
Sir, The bare announcement in your pages (report, February 2) that the Delegates of the Oxford Univenity Press had decided to close down printing at Oxford has not, as far as I am aware, drawn much public comment. May I, as one of a host of scholars who have benefited from the superlative quality of Oxford printing, say a few words in a sorrow that is but a poor reaction to what the Delegates have accomplished by a single act of academic vandalism? I understand that the decision to end printing is irrevocable. Shame on you, Delegates!
My own discipline, Egyptology, has benefited in quite vital respects from the loving care with which Oxford exploited the best hieroglyphic fount ever to have been designed, a case which ensured that hot metal was succeeded by a digitised fount when "steam" printing ceased and mastered its employment with a determination which went far beyond the commercial potential of an exotic script. I dare say that hieroglyphs contributed to the situation which led the Delegates to take their brave decision.
The experience of one small discipline with peculiar requirements can certainly be matched many times over in the scholarly community for which Oxford printing stood for the best. How many individual scholars, how many learned bodies, how many lovers of fine printing will now feel utterly bereft? They will, however, remember the care taken in the preparation of texts, the style and beauty of the printed Oxford page, the ineffable perspicaciousness of the anonymous press reader, the understanding of the time required for proper scholarship, the readiness to accept responsibility when things went wrong, and the sympathetic recognition of the foibles and the true requirements of the scholarly author.
Walton Street was a place of pilgrimage; to attend a meeting with a representative of the press to discuss a manuscript or to argue over proofs was so often an act of confession. The conversion of a text into a book was an act of cooperation inspired by complete faith in the ability and integrity of the press.
In 1978, when OUP celebrated 500 years of Oxford printing and publishing, the emphasis in the commemorative literature of that year was on publishing. But for generations of scholars OUP has meant volumes printed at Oxford, not necessarily published by Oxford. It was in the printing house that the foundation of scholarly publication was laid. To have a book printed at Oxford was an enriching experience for any scholar. That it will happen no more is truly sad. Thank you, Printer, your predecessors, and your past and present staff.
Yours sincerely,
HARRY JAMES,
14 Turner Close, London NW11
21st February from Mr E. P. Smith
Sir, Mr Harry James undoubtedly spoke for many authors whose work has been printed at the Oxford University Press printing house in lamenting its sudden and totally unexpected closure. Equally dismayed are those publishers, both large and small, who had entrusted with assurance and confidence manuscripts to the printing house.
It was always a joy to see a sometimes very "rough" manuscript turned into a beautiful book. My firm had several manuscripts with the OUP; it has been a distressing experience to have to tell their authors that their books will now be printed elsewhere.
The not least baffling aspect of all this is that in the book trade it is a well known fact that OUP is enjoying unprecedented profits. The demise of the printing operation of this world-famous institution is a sad day for all connected with the production and publication of good books.
Yours faithfully,
E. P. SMITH (Managing Director),
Churchman Publishing Limited, 117 Broomfield Avenue, Worthing, West Sussex.
23rd February from Elizabeth Lady Brunner
Sir, Surely something can be done to save the printing house at Oxford?
Eleven years ago, at the time of the 500th anniversary of the Oxford University Press, there was a beautiful service of thanksgiving in Oxford Cathedral and the fine memorial to Dr Fell was especially lit and decorated. Perhaps now the Dean and Chapter will drape it in sombre crepe?
Sitting opposite the assembled OUP Delegates on that occasion, tightly packed on their humble bench, it would have been impossible to imagine that such an august company could in the near future commit an act of what Mr Harry James rightly calls "academic vandalism". Were the Press a stately home or part of the coastline it might be saved by the National Trust. But it is a live, human part of our heritage, a place where great craft is handed on decade by decade, and has no similar protective body to turn to in such a situation.
On what grounds was the decision of the Delegates so irrevocably made? Is it quite impossible to reverse?
Yours faithfully
ELIZABETH BRUNNER,
Greys Court, near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
1st March from Mr H. M. Stewart
Sir, One tragedy of the closure of the Oxford University Press printing house not so far mentioned in the correspondence is the dispersal of expertise in the esoteric matter of Greek accents. It always used to be said that the real experts were not classical scholars but the Oxford University Press compositors, even though they themselves knew no Greek.
If the Oxford Delegates are determined on this act of vandalism perhaps the Cambridge Syndics will make them an offer to save such expertise and other valuable parts of their empire. Or are the Syndics planning similar vandalism at Cambridge? I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
H. M. STEWART,
Maresfield, Beech Waye, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.
OUP Print House
From Sir Robert Lusty
Sir, The curious decision of the Delegates of Oxford University Press to terminate their printing operations brings into relevance their position as one of four of Her Majesty's Printers authorised to print the Bible. This right and privilege they have presumably abrogated, and one wonders what will happen to the great range of editions in which OUP market this work and which must have added greatly to their financial prosperity. If this part of OUP's list is to be maintained, presumably other arrangements will have to be made for its printing?
It may be that Her Majesty will now have to rely upon three printers entrusted with a license to print the Bible, or possibly the time has come when this restrictive privilege should be abandoned and the printing of this holy work should be subjected to current market forces. Mr Rupert Murdoch, a recent recipient of the existing privilege, should surely concede the point.
Yours faithfully,
Robert Lusty,
Broad Close, Bockley, Moreton-in-Marsh, Glos.
BPCC, led by John Holloran since the management buyout, will distribute the equipment among its various companies, with the book printer Hazell, Watson & Viney receiving most of the finishing and binding equipment.
The Oxford Printer, David Stanford, is, Printing World says, "understood also to be joining BPCC", but this is not confirmed.
A Dainippon Scannica 222 monochrome scanner is already operational at Hazell Books. This gives the company an inhouse facility for the first time. An additional Crabtree SP65 900 perfector is being installed in the press room. Binding facilities have been increased at both Aylesbury and Paulton.
Information provided for The Bookseller by Printing World