Sussex-based Quad/Graphics Inc. plans to close its printing plant in Waseca, Minnesota by the end of the year, potentially putting 335 people out of a job.
The 770,000-square-foot plant is the company’s tenth largest and primarily produces special interest publications and journals. It was acquired in 2014 as part of Quad’s acquisition of Brown Printing Co. Brown was founded in Waseca in 1957.
Quad employs 365 people at the plant and approximately 30 will continue working for the company in the area to support clients and other facilities.
In a statement, Quad said the decision was part of its ongoing strategy to produce where it “can achieve the greatest manufacturing and distribution efficiencies and in no way reflects the quality and performance of employees in the plant.”
Quad/Graphics has grown substantially since 2010 through acquisitions, but has also played the role of industry consolidator.
Joel Quadracci, Quad chairman, president and chief executive officer, said earlier this month at the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce all-member meeting that the company had closed 38 plants, equivalent to a $3 billion company, since 2010.
Wisconsin has been the beneficiary of many of the closures as the state is home to some of the company’s most efficient plants, including three of its four largest.
Work from the Waseca plant will be consolidated into other Quad plants around the country and employees will be given the chance to transfer to other facilities as well.
