News Ltd ramps up $half-billion investment spree for Australian operations

The expansion consists of a new $70 million wing to house an additional colour press capable of printing most of the 18 newspapers in the company’s Cumberland Newspaper Group. When complete the plant will enable News to print full colour on every page of each publication produced at the plant.

The expansion of Chullora is part of an investment of at least $500 million by News Limited in plant and buildings for its Australian newspaper operations over the next four years. The $500 million upgrade programme will cover most of the company’s Australian operations, spanning national, metropolitan, regional and community newspapers.

In addition to the major expansion at Chullora, work has started on the new $60 million five-storey headquarters for Advertiser Newspapers in Adelaide and work is well advanced on a $32 million upgrade to double the colour capacity of the printing presses at Queensland Newspapers in Brisbane.

A new $42 million print plant opened on the Gold Coast last month has doubled the colour printing facility for the Gold Coast Bulletin. News Limited’s Leader Newspaper Group in Melbourne is getting a new $20 million three-storey headquarters on the site of its current home in Blackburn.

Other projects in the $500 million expansion program will be announced as details are finalised, said Lachlan Murdoch.

“Our newspapers continue to flourish in spite of the increasing competition from television, radio and the internet, as we develop new sections for readers and more attractive platforms for advertisers,” he said.

“As a result, demand is increasing for full colour on every page and with the investments announced today we are committed to meeting that demand.”

The existing MAN Roland Chullora presses, installed 10 years ago when the plant was built, will be upgraded with the next generation of back-to-back colour technology capable of delivering 100 per cent colour. The current capability is about 50 per cent.

Although MAN Roland supplier, IPP Print & Pack, would not comment, industry opinion is firmly on the side of the renewal of News Limited’s long-term close relationship with the company here. This is despite the choice of a KBA Comet nine-tower press for the Gold Coast Bulletin, which was inaugurated in July.

The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, The Sportsman and numerous pre-print sections that support News Limited’s metropolitan newspapers are currently printed at Chullora.

The Chullora expansion will eventually provide around 50 new jobs.