WT to shut down printing operations in Madrid Bethel branch

by sir82 19 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  sir82

  Originally posted about here:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/173648/1/Sales-of-Bethel-premises-and-transfer-of-millions-to-Brooklyn

  ...but I thought it deserved its own thread.

  There is a letter from the Madrid Bethel branch to all Spanish congregations posted here (written in Spanish, of course):

  http://johnhenrykurtz.blogspot.com/

  ...which details the WT's plans to stop "printing, warehousing, and distribution of literature" from the Madrid Bethel branch, effective "within a few months".

  No reason is given, but it is made clear that the decision came from the Governing Body.

  The letter states that "these adjustments will necessitate further changes at the branch"....sounds like layoffs for the workers there.

  There is a slightly more detailed summary of the letter in the post referred to at the top of this post.

  Comments:

  1) Odd that it was the Governing Body that sent the message to the Madrid branch that they would be shutting down printing there...I thought the GB was divested of involvement in corporate decisions since 2000 or so.

  2) How big is the Madrid Bethel branch? The letter states that the branch will remain open, but I would have to think that a large number if not the majority of Bethelites there were directly involved in the printing work. Will there be dozens laid off? Hundreds?

  3) Nothing is stated about who will pick up the slack of the printing work. Another European branch? Or an outside "worldly" printer?
• 

  Amha·’aret

  Strange...I wonder whether this will happen in more countries as time progresses. You know, with all that "persecution" to pay taxes etc.
• 

  minimus

  They should simply use websites to put out their propaganda. It's cheaper.
• 

  quietlyleaving

  I remember a CO once saying in private how poor many of the brothers in Spain really are. So this may be an aspect of the effects of the recession.
• 

  kelly111

  Hi I am new to the site but thanks very much for the news so Madrid printing factory is closing down Rick Fearon from sixscreensofthewatchter will be delighted. Please let him know.
• 

  Quirky1

  Min, maybe they could just post their stuff here.....
• 

  Jim_TX

  "They should simply use websites to put out their propaganda. It's cheaper."

  Yes, but you can't leave 'back issues' of websites at the laundromat - or doctor's office - and count them as placements.
• 

  watson

  Jim,

  Yeah, but I see a new cottage industry for the brothers: "Publisher Websites."

  Backcalls/RVs could be tracked by page views. "Portal bible studies" would be the new rage, not doorstep studies.
• 

  betterdaze

  Old news, but it explains why they're gearing-down printing operations in Madrid:
  
  12.07.2006 -
  
  Seven LITHOMAN presslines for Watchtower Society
  
  Multinational, large-scale order for MAN Roland and Intergrafica Print & Pack (IPP)
  
  The international religious organization Jehovah's Witnesses has recently ordered seven LITHOMAN presslines from MAN Roland, to be installed in its printing plants in Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, England, Japan (one press each) and the USA (two presses). Delivery of the order running in the middle of tens of million Euros are expected to take place from July 2003.
  
  Almost 80 years of cooperation between Watchtower and MAN Roland
  With the biggest single order of this customer to date, MAN Roland continues the series of international successes in its cooperation with the Watchtower Society over a period of nearly eighty years by now: in 1927, Watchtower USA ordered the first letterpress machine from MAN Roland. A second press followed in 1929. By 1976, about 30 MAN Roland presses had been installed in the United States alone. This made Watchtower the biggest customer worldwide for MAN Roland at that time.
  
  Watchtower production now standardized worldwide with LITHOMAN
  Since 1984, Watchtower in Italy and the US has been working with a total of five 32-page LITHOMAN presslines. The positive experience with these machines has now led to the decision to use this press type worldwide. That means printing quality on the highest level worldwide. The new, single-web systems in 64-page configuration operate at speeds up to 45,000 cylinder revolutions per hour and with a web width of 1,480 millimetres. They are uniformly equipped with 2:5:5 folder.
  
  Publications with multimillion circulations
  In future, the new Watchtower LITHOMAN presses will be producing a large propoprtion of the high-circulation publications such as The Watchtower with a circulation of just under 25 million copies in 146 languages and Awake with a momentary circulation of 22 million copies in 86 languages. In addition, the machines are intended for use in the production of bibles or books of biblical exegesis, each in multimillion circulation.
  
  More capacity and quality, positive synergies
  The new LITHOMAN presses markedly reduce the age average of the Watchtower machinery, thus considerably increasing overall productivity. Another important advantage will result from the close cooperation of the individual Watchtower printing plants, which produce largely the same products. When production will eventually be run on presses of the same type, Watchtower will benefit further because of synergies such as positive cost effects.
  
  Apart from a substantial capacity increase, Watchtower expects maximum availability and reliability, high net output, excellent printing quality and high efficiency to result from the new LITHOMAN machinery, while it looks forward to continuing and intensifying the cooperation with MAN Roland as its partner in printing and press technology.
  
  * * *
  
  They wrote an English language article (I think in an Awake!) about the installation of two new presses in upstate NY which conveniently failed to mention the five additional presses outside the U.S.
  
  ~Sue
• 

  yknot

  Much is afoot these days in Madrid...

  Perhaps a few dear Sis/Bros of JWN would like to pop over to www.extj.com/foro and give us the translated skinny on the various threads regarding the ongoings (umm demise) of the Madrid Branch.