Progress Press investing in €26m factory

Progress Press is investing €26 million in a new factory in Mrieħel from where it will expand its business to further tap the international printing market.

After operating from Valletta for almost 90 years, the press - which prints The Times and The Sunday Times, among other publications - will move out of the capital, following the construction of around 10,000 square metres of factory space.

The move, scheduled for October, will allow the company to upgrade its machinery, improve its environmental awareness and raise health and safety standards, company managing director Adrian Hillman said.

It would also allow Progress Press to compete more aggressively on an international and commercial level, Mr Hillman said as he outlined the new project to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

Dr Gonzi said: "This is another very important investment in Malta that is a clear declaration of our confidence in the future... It also means new jobs and income for the country."

The Prime Minister was yesterday shown around the various sections of Progress Press, where the printing and binding of newspapers, magazines and other publications take place.

Mr Hillman said the company had decided to move outside the capital primarily because it had outgrown the building. However, transportation was also an issue and the new plant in Mrieħel would ensure a smoother and more efficient process.

"Another major driving factor towards this move was to reconfirm our commitment towards environmental awareness. The new building will allow better use of space and energy as well as the disposal of waste," he said.

He added that, despite the global financial crisis, the company felt that the time was ripe to grow as competition was not so aggressive.

Progress, which makes an annual turnover of €12 million, will also seek to strengthen its international business by increasing exports.

As working shifts increase, Mr Hillman added, the company - which currently employs 90 full-time workers - would recruit more workers and invest in training so as to ensure they had multiple skills.

Dr Gonzi said he was pleased to hear that the company was looking beyond Malta's shores.

As he praised the "beautiful and attractive" design of the Mrieħel building, he added he was glad to see that Mrieħel - which already hosts several factories and business offices - was slowly developing into a small showcase of Malta's development. Dr Gonzi was also accompanied around the premises by Allied Group managing director Vincent Buhagiar and director Austin Bencini. Progress Press is one of the companies that falls under the Allied Group of Companies, which owns The Times, The Sunday Times and timesofmalta.com.