"Cutting his grass with tobacco"
Ok, it took me a while to get that.
Watchtower printeries operating at only 50% capacity
by truthseeker 17 Replies latest jw friends
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wiegel
What I find so interesting is that IF they truly believe that they have life-saving information for all the nations, why don't they publish it on the internet like they mean it. Spending money on paper and presses to meet the growing need is so yesterday.
Why can't they publish the schedules for their meetings (open to the public), conventions (open to the public), memorials (open to the public) on the web? Why can't you download the articles for study from the web? It would save them millions of dollars and the earth a lot of trees. The magazines end up in closets and laudromats and the trash before they are even read.
A friend of mine went to watchtower.org the other night and said "WTF?" "Who are they talking to? Sounds like they are talking to a bunch of retards." Any intellectual appeal that once was a part of the org is long gone. The brain drain has taken its toll and it is showing.
But it is true that if they make their one money-making commodity FREE on the internet, well I guess that would be bad for business. Where is the biblical basis for running a huge conglomerate to make disciples? And if it has ANYthing to do with reaching the "masses", then they are just stupid, because the masses are here. Oh right, they aren't stupid, they're scared.
PS If you don't know this, if you try to send them an email, you have to fill out a form on their site with all of your contact info. Then they tell you in their privacy statement how much they respect your privacy and won't violate it!!!! LOL!!!!! I never saw such a bunch of big babies in my life.
amen
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JH
Watchtower printeries operating at only 50% capacity
Yea, they used to operate at 100%...
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juni
I have the same question as GaryBuss and Cygnus. Why Patterson and NY facilities if all is being printed at Wallkill?? There are a lot of things I don't understand right now and I'm starting to feel pretty low. Thanks. Juni Breeze
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garybuss
United States Printery Upgraded
In 2002, at the direction of the Governing Body, print-
ing operations began to be reorganized into five major geo-
graphic regionsAfrica, Asia, Europe, North America, and
South America. This arrangement has resulted in more ef-
ficient use of branch facilities, including those in the Unit-
ed States, which now have a reduced work load.
All printing, binding, and shipping operations in the
United States were consolidated at Wallkill, New York, dur-
ing 2004. The general plan and concept were presented to
the town planning board on August 6, 2002. A public hear-
ing was held on September 3, after which final approval was
2005 YEARBOOK 22
granted. At the annual meeting of the Watch Tower Bible
and Tract Society of Pennsylvania on October 5, 2002, an
announcement was made that the Governing Body had ap-
proved the consolidation at Wallkill. Two new MAN Roland
Lithoman rotary presses were ordered, and the additional
building to house them was scheduled to be ready by Feb-
ruary 2004.
How could this mammoth project be accomplished in
just 14 months? The brothers looked to Jehovah to direct
matters and to move individuals to offer themselves will-
ingly. This confidence was not misplaced. Site work com-
menced in February 2003, and the addition to the printery
was ready by September. The first of three existing presses
at Wallkill was dismantled and relocated to the new exten-
sion in December. The two new presses arrived in April and
May 2004 and began production in June and July. All five
presses were fully operational by September.
Previously, the bindery occupied 11 floors in three
buildings of the Adams Street complex in Brooklyn. Now
the entire bindery is located on one floor at Wallkill and oc-
cupies 58 percent less space. Paperback bookbinding began
in July 2004. Later that month, the first hardcover books
came off the new bindery line, which is over a quarter of
a mile long and consists of 33 machines connected by 70
conveyors. Book parts are handled just once, at the start of
the line. Running at 120 books per minute, the hardcover
line requires only 25 operatorsa 66 percent reduction in
personnel. The entire bindery became fully operational in
October 2004.
As of November 2004, the new Wallkill Shipping De-
partment has been processing congregation literature re-
quests by means of a new computerized system that
HIGHLIGHTS 23
occupies 45 percent less space than its predecessor in Brook-
lyn. Computers calculate the size of the shipment and select
the appropriate carton. A half-mile-long conveyor trans-
ports each order to a special platform where consignments
are prepared for shipment. A drive-through area gives local
congregations convenient access to pick up their orders.
Heartfelt thanks go to the many brothers and sisters who
helped with this project. They include Bethel and tempo-
rary volunteers, teams of brothers working under the direc-
tion of Regional Building Committees from five states, and
brothers who generously contributed equipment and mate-
rials from their own businesses. Of course, thanks also go to
the many 'cheerful givers' who provided financial support.
2Cor.9:7, 11.
Brooklyn's Changing Face
The move of the printing, binding, and shipping oper-
ations toWallkill has changed the face of Brooklyn Beth-
el. A historic and emotional moment occurred on April 29,
2004. That evening, amid cheers and tears, Max Larson,
printery overseer for more than 60 years, shut down the last
printing press in Brooklyn, ending 84 years of continuous
printing there. The bindery closed down a few weeks later.
Aware that these changes would considerably reduce the
amount of floor space required at Brooklyn, the Govern-
ing Body, in June 2003, announced the possible sale of the
building at 360 Furman Street. The contract was finalized
on Friday, June 18, 2004. The laundry, offices, and work-
shops housed in that million-square-foot building are be-
ing transferred to the vacated space at the 117 Adams Street
complex.
In addition, the 107 Columbia Heights building is now
undergoing a major renovation. The residential section
24 2005 YEARBOOK
is slated for completion by the latter half of 2005, and the
entire project, by September 2006. The renovated build-
ing will accommodate over 300 Bethel family members and
have a commissary. Kingdom Hall, library, lobby, offices,
personal laundry, and a new courtyard garden.
Geared for Increase Worldwide
Brazil, Britain, Japan, Mexico, and South Africa have
also received new MAN Roland Lithoman printing press-
es. Britain was the first branch to install the new machine,
which arrived in July 2003 and began production in Oc-
tober. It prints 750,000 magazines a day1.5 million in a
double shiftalmost three times that of the former press.
The new presses can also print signatures for Bibles and
other publications. The South Africa branch, for example,
has already printed signatures for the New World Transla-
tion in Sesotho, a South African tongue. The Japan branch
reports that previously it took a whole day to switch from
producing small books to large ones. Now it takes only
one hour. And whereas it used to take ten days to pro-
duce one million tracts, it now takes just five hours. In its
first three months, the press in Japan turned out 12 million
tracts; 12 million magazines and brochures; 240,000 books;
and 48,000 Bibles.
Other new, automated machines trim, count, stack, la-
bel, and wrap literature. Printing plates are being made more
efficiently and accurately by means of a technique called
the computer-to-plate method. This process eliminates the
need for photographic film, thus cutting out one entire step.
The Britain branch reports that all these improvements have
not only boosted production but also reduced the number
of workers needed.
HIGHLIGHTS 25 -
juni
Good evening Gary,
So, the shipping, binding, printing is all at Wallkill? What do they do in NY now? Why all of these accommodations being built (rooms) for bros. and sisters? I just don't get it. They are making these apts. in the DUMBO area, making rooms (?) in the Columbia Hts. Bldg. Possibly selling the Furman site. Where do those volunteers live that work in Wallkill? And I could never get it straight what goes on at the Patterson site. Do they still grow their food there? Do visitors that come stay there at facilities?? I am throughly confused. Thanks for your clarification. Juni Breeze
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Elsewhere
I wonder if they will finish the new residence building, put everyone in it and then sell all of the other residence buildings.
In time when they all move out of Brooklyn they will sell the DUMBO building as $500,000 condos. Hell, if I was a greedy SOB, that’s what I would do!
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garybuss
Bethelites aren't called Bethelites anymore because now they aren't at "Bethel", they're at Wallkill . . . or Patterson. Now instead of being called Wallikllites, or Pattersonites, they are called "Personal" and "workers" by the 2005 Yearbook. The "divinely directed" literature produced is referred to as "orders" in the 2005 Yearbook, much like a bag of groceries. There's even a "drive through". Wallkill is a world class printing factory and living quarters made into a city, all paid for by solicited donations and all tax free.
Food isn't grown anymore, it's bought now with donated cash. Patterson is a city owned by the "Governing Body" complete with schools, lush gardens, and a motel. Bethel isn't for workers anymore, it's being converted to updated living quarters and is being used as a commune . . . a monastery. It's a New York City palace for the 12 kings, complete with a servant staff of 2,000, providing laundry services, meal preparation, site cleaning, security, chauffeured limousine service, a private airline, a legal staff, and free medical treatment for the kings, all paid for by the nickles and dimes sent in by Witness kids made from selling Watchtower magazines on dirty street corners.
Jehovah's Witnesses make approval pilgrimages to Wallkill now to appreciate the printing presses where the directions to "obey" are printed. Wallkill owners anticipated the approval tours and provided bus parking and motel accommodations at Patterson. Of course proper business attire is required for factory viewing.