400 jobs created at new Merseyside printing plant

More than 400 new jobs are to be created at a new state of the art printing facility in Merseyside, it has emerged.

The facility, which will focus on high-quality printing, will be located at the Estuary business park in Speke, near the Liverpool John Lennon Airport and is expected to be running at full capacity in early 2008.

The jobs boost follows on from a £7 million Regional Selective Assistance grant from the Department of Trade and Industry, and a £115 million investment by arvato AG, the international media services provider.

arvato AG is one of the world's biggest networked media services providers with more than 250 subsidiaries in 28 countries, employing over 31,000 people. In 2003, the group generated revenues of more than £3.6 billion.

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "This is great news for Merseyside and shows that we are committed to bringing and keeping high-value manufacturing jobs in the Northwest. These new jobs will create opportunities not just for those employed at the plant, but for the rest of the area too. I am pleased that this project will also help increase and improve local skills.

"Arvato's decision to locate here is a tribute to the renewal and investment in Merseyside in recent years. It also shows that the UK remains the best place for investors to base their businesses in Europe."

Hartmut Ostrowski, Chief Executive Officer of arvato AG, said: "Liverpool is an important piece in the jigsaw for arvato's European printing capabilities, creating what we believe will be the most technically advanced and comprehensive printing service to customers all over the world. We intend to capitalise on this opportunity with the new plant."

Arvato AG - whose arvato services subsidiary already operates an 800-seat call centre in Liverpool's Cunard Building - is also building a second gravure printing facility in the Italian town of Treviglio, where the company is investing a further £70 million. The Speke site, the new Liverpool plant is part of arvato's strategy to extend its European network to meet current high levels of demand for gravure printing.

The Northwest Development Agency (NWDA) has been working in partnership with a number of organisations on Merseyside to bring arvato AG to the region, including Liverpool City Council and the Learning and Skills Council Greater Merseyside.

(gmcg)