Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC announced today it will cease printing operations in Lowell. All printing will be consolidated next week in Springdale.
Northwest Arkansas Newspapers has been operating two printing plants in Northwest Arkansas. Because the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is converting to Sunday print home delivery along with the digital replica edition delivered seven days a week, the decision was made to consolidate the two press operations at the plant on Lowell Road in Springdale.
This decision became even more critical because of the severe advertising revenue decline caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
There will be 24 full-time and 15 part-time jobs eliminated. The positions affected by the consolidation will be press operator, prepress, maintenance and mailroom. Each employee affected by these changes will receive one week of pay for every year of employment with the company up to 12 weeks.
"In an effort to sustain local journalism in our daily and weekly newspapers in Northwest Arkansas, the decision has been made to consolidate printing between our plants in Lowell and Springdale. Due to this change, there will a reduction in workforce in the production department on or about July 13," said Brent A. Powers, President of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC and the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, The Weekly Vista, Westside Eagle Observer, The Siloam Springs Herald-Leader, Pea Ridge Times, Washington County Enterprise-Leader, La Prensa Libre, McDonald County (Mo.) Press and various other commercial work will continue to be printed at the Springdale plant.