Cambridge University Press enters redundancies consultation
- Release Date: 21/01/2009
- Country of Issue: United Kingdom
- Category: Corporate
Over the past nine months, Cambridge University Press has been carrying out a strategic review of its printing business, Cambridge Printing Services, Ltd (CPSL).
CPSL, along with many other printers, has been going through an extremely difficult time in the past few years. 80% of Cambridge’s publishing sales are in countries outside the UK. Increasingly, printing for customers in these countries is moving to providers in or very close to the market. This gives cheaper transport costs, environmental benefits, less need for warehousing, and faster turn-around times.
The review has shown that CPSL is unlikely to make a profit in its current form. Plans have been announced to reorganise CPSL as a printer to the European part of Cambridge University Press’s publishing operation.
This means that the scale of CPSL needs to be reduced by roughly two-thirds. Wherever possible, staff in affected posts will be re-deployed within other parts of Cambridge University Press, but it is expected that 133 jobs in CPSL will be lost, with 37 jobs retained in the new structure. A statutory 90-day consultation begun on 22 January 2009.
Some redundancies are also expected in the Press’s UK Education publishing business. Consolidation of UK core curriculum publishing around a few large publishers has combined with uncertainties over public-sector spending in this area, and Cambridge University Press now sees itself unable to forecast satisfactory business in a number of segments of this market. The Press will seek to continue to build on areas of strength in the UK and other markets.
Of some 50 staff positions in this area it is possible that up to 25 may be affected. However, many of the staff have skills that are potentially transferable to other forms of publishing, so it is hoped that a number will be redeployed.
Chief Executive Stephen Bourne says: “We know that this is an incredibly difficult time for those staff that are affected, and we will be doing all we can to support them through these changes.
“This has been a very hard decision to make but we believe it is the right one to safeguard the long-term future of our business, given the current economic and technological climate. To enable us to support the areas in which we are genuinely strong, we need to divert resources away from areas that are less promising.”
In other areas the Press is performing well. It has seen increased profitability over the past four years, and last year saw a market-leading growth rate of 12%.
Staff representatives will be informed of the structure of redundancy packages and in printing will be in excess of what is statutorily required. Help and guidance will also be given to affected staff on finding new jobs.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
About Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s leading research institutions. It is the oldest publisher and printer in the world, having been operating continuously since 1584.
Throughout its history, the Press has maintained a reputation for innovation and enterprise, through publishing the latest research, and through supporting the latest methodologies for teaching and learning. Its purpose is to advance learning, knowledge and research worldwide. It publishes over 230 journals and 2,500 books annually for distribution in nearly every country in the world.
The main business of the Press is publishing. There are 1,700 members of staff employed in publishing and approximately 170 in printing.
If you would like more information, contact the Press Office:
- Telephone: +44 (0)1223 325544
- Fax: +44 (0)1223 325062
- Email: press@cambridge.org
- Post: The Press Office, University Printing House, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8BS, United Kingdom