Agfa Graphics has announced that it will be closing its offset printing plate manufacturing facility in Branchburg, NJ, USA by the end of this year as part of its strategic plan to optimize its global production capacity and supply chain for printing plates.

“While our volume of printing plates sold in North America remains strong, this action is being taken to better meet the current and future expectations of our customers and the competitive pressures of today’s market for offset printing plates,” explains Gunther Mertens, regional president of North America.

Agfa wishes to assure its customers in North America that this factory closure will not impact its ability to maintain the highest level of customer service. “Today, 45% of our offset printing plate volumes in North America are already sourced from other factories in the Agfa network. As part of a global company, we can seamlessly move manufacturing and supply points while adjusting for changes in replenishment times. This creates a secure supply chain for our customers,” adds Mertens.

Agfa is mindful of the impact this closing has on its employees in Branchburg and is committed to mitigating the social impact as much as possible, it says.