Traditional post-Christmas lull hits printing firms

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 24

Traditional post-Christmas lull hits printing firms

The Printing Industries Federation quarterly economic survey for the February quarter shows the industry has suffered its traditional post-Christmas quiet period. Only 29 per cent of the 240 respondents consider they are running at anywhere near full capacity. Mr Brian Korte, executive director of the federation, said that while this was a fairly similar response to that for the same quarter last year, it followed 12 months of near depressed conditions for commercial printing. The Printing Industries Federation has a membership of some 500 companies throughout New Zealand with an estimated combined annual turnover of more than $BOO million and provides employment opportunities for up to 10,000 workers. Mr Korte said the depressed conditions in the industry had seen a con-

finual decline in numbers employed in the industry. The reduced capacity also meant a reduction in overtime hours. New apprenticeship contracts in 1988 were down 7% on 1987. For 1989, the projected situation bordered on disaster. Forecasts suggested that the intake of new apprentices in the industry would be down 40% on the 1988 intake, and it appeared only half the apprentices who completed their training last year would be replaced. The areas outside Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch were not experiencing the severity of the decline in output as were the three main centres. This contrasted with earlier quarter results and suggested the depressed conditions hit the regions well before they affected the main centres. "We can only hope that the main centres will follow this apparent recovery in the regions,” Mr Korte said. Meanwhile, two printers have chal-

lenged a report on Bascands, Ltd, on these pages yesterday which said eight printers closed in Christchurch in 1988. Bascands obtained this information from an article in the “Evening Post,” Wellington. Mr Stuart McHarg, president of the Canterbury branch of the Printers Federation, said he did not know of any printer in the city going out of business. The branch has about 60 members. Nationally, 55 to 60 per cent of printers belong to the federation, which has a total membership of about 515. But up to 80% by value of New Zealand’s printing is done by federation members, according to Mr Korte. Mr Noel Harris, secretary of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Printing and Related Unions, said he did not know of any closings of print firms in Christchurch last year. Any printing firms that had closed would have been very small.