130 jobs to go as printing firm announces closure

A DUBLIN-based printing firm is to close, leaving 130 workers redundant after suffering serious financial loses.

It is the second devastating jobs blow for the Tallaght area of Dublin this year after biscuit maker Jacob’s decided to shut its factory, axing 230 jobs.

Microprint, the computer manual and magazine printing company, blamed competition from Britain, high costs and said it had been losing money on a weekly basis for several months.

Microprint managing director Alan Heatley said the company could not survive more heavy losses in a fiercely competitive market.

“Following serious financial losses since late 2006, and with an increasingly competitive environment and rising cost pressures, it is very clear that the company, which is losing a significant amount of money on a weekly basis, could not sustain a further period of heavy losses,” he said.

“When allied to a growing uncertainty around future customer demand and the international sourcing of print, regrettably the print managing and manufacturing business of Microprint has no viable future.”

Staff were only given a month’s notice of the closure but management stated that they were planning to immediately commence negotiations with the trade unions on a redundancy package.

Mr Heatley urged workers to keep up production for the next month to ensure contracts are honoured and the best pay-off package is secured.

“We want to negotiate the most appropriate package possible and during this period, we need to ensure continuity of supply to our indigenous Irish customer base and protect remaining revenues,” he said.

Mr Heatley said the business had suffered a drop in demand for computer manuals, uncertainty over key contracts and competitive pressure from British printers.

The Microprint company will shut its doors on April 3.