Gannett Is Consolidating Printing and Production Plants in New Jersey

Gannett officials announced today that the company will be consolidating the printing and production operations at its 190,000-square-foot plant located at 235 Willow Brook Road in Freehold Township, N.J., the Asbury Park Press reports. Gannett officials said that the Freehold plant, which employs 225 people, 154 of them full-time, is scheduled to close in early June.

Along with Asbury Park Press, the Freehold plant prints The Home News Tribune, The Daily Record, The Daily Journal and The Courier News, along with two other publications, according to the newspaper.

Work from the Freehold facility, which opened in 1996, will be transferred to The Record's printing plant in Rockaway, N.J., which was formerly operated by North Jersey Media Group until it was purchased by Gannett in July. The Asbury Park Press said employees were notified today of the consolidation. News and advertising staff positions will reportedly not be affected.

"The Freehold production facility and its loyal employees have been a part of the company for many years," commented Tom Donovan, Northeast regional president for Gannett and publisher of the Asbury Park Press. "We thank them for their service and wish them well. We will do all we can to help them transition successfully."

According to the Press, Gannett officials indicated that the company will be making a major capital investment in the Rockaway plant, which publishes eight daily New Jersey and New York Gannett newspapers, and more than 30 weeklies.