Daily Record Printing Moves Outsourced After Piers North Memo Signals Shift
Tuesday at 1: 45 p. m. ET, Piers North sent an internal email announcing plans to consolidate Reach Media’s printing operations, a decision that will see the daily record printed outside Scotland and shift production to Oldham.
North wrote in the memo that “now is the right time to consolidate our printing work to continue to serve our customers and deliver on our strategy, ” and the move follows a period of deep editorial and staffing changes he oversaw after his March 2025 appointment.
Piers North Orders Saltire and Watford Press Closures
North’s email, which landed in employee inboxes around 1: 45 p. m. ET on Tuesday, set out a twin closure of Reach’s Saltire print operation in Glasgow and a long-running press site in Watford. The memo said the Saltire site would be wound up and staff would either be laid off or potentially relocated, while the Watford press line would also close.
Reach operates the Saltire site on a 12-acre footprint and prints multiple Scottish titles. Company leaders framed the decision as a consolidation to deliver on strategy; employees described the announcement as an abrupt escalation after repeated rounds of cuts over recent years.
Daily Record Printing Moves to Oldham for First Time Since 1895
For the first time since 1895, the Daily Record would be printed outside Scotland, with production shifted to press lines at Oldham. Reach’s memo said printing for the Daily Record, the Sunday Mail and 17 Scottish regional titles will move as part of the consolidation.
Executives noted that two-thirds of the group’s revenue still comes from print sales, and they argued centralizing presses would better serve customers and the broader strategy. Staff facing the change were told the company plans to sell off equipment and buildings tied to the Saltire operation.
Unite and Reach Staff React to Consolidation and Job Cuts
Unite described North’s decision as an “utter shock, ” and employees in Glasgow said internal chat channels filled with anger after the email. In Glasgow, where a consultation process for employees is underway, the change could mean the loss of about 92 jobs.
Reach’s editorial presence in Glasgow has already been reduced in recent years, and staffers said the print closures compound earlier rounds of layoffs that removed production and editorial roles. Management emphasized the consolidation was intended to align operations with the company’s strategy; unions and staff have been asked to engage in consultation.
Consultation for affected employees is underway; more details were communicated in the 1: 45 p. m. ET email. If the planned closures proceed, presses that have operated in Glasgow for decades will be retired and printing lines will run from Oldham going forward.
