The Yakima Herald-Republic will expand its downtown Yakima production facilities to accommodate the increased storage space needed for newsprint and advertising inserts of the Tri-City Herald. The Yakima Herald-Republic is also undergoing additional infrastructure and technology improvements to accommodate the new printing needs of the Tri-City Herald.
The Yakima Herald-Republic's state-of-the-art KBA Comet 70 printing presses and production capabilities were determining factors in the decision of the Tri-City Herald to move its operations to Yakima. The Tri-City Herald joins the Ellensburg Daily Record, the Seattle Stranger and other notable publications currently printed at the Yakima Herald-Republic. This latest addition further solidifies the Herald-Republic’s position as the largest offset commercial printer in Central Washington.
"We are proud to have been selected by the Tri-City Herald to meet its printing needs," said Sharon Prill, publisher of the Yakima Herald-Republic. "This partnership would not have been possible without the commitment of the Seattle Times Company to investing in the future of the Yakima Herald-Republic and our printing infrastructure. That investment has put us in the position to win this significant contract. We are looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Tri-City Herald."
Gregg McConnell, publisher of the Tri-City Herald added, “We’re excited by this new partnership that improves printing quality for our readers and provides new color opportunities for advertisers.”
The paper’s current presses are more than 20 years old and would otherwise require substantial investment in future years.
Advertisers and subscribers will see no changes in deadlines or delivery times, McConnell said. The transition is expected to occur in mid-August, though an exact date has not yet been determined.
In addition to the daily newspaper and website, the Yakima Herald-Republic's operations include El Sol de Yakima, a weekly Spanish language newspaper, Central Washington's largest offset commercial printing operation, an extensive commercial distribution arm, Yakima magazine and several other highly-regarded niche publications.
The Seattle Times is a 115-year-old locally owned journalism and community service company. Founded in 1896 by Alden J. Blethen, The Seattle Times is a fourth and fifth generation family business. The family's flagship newspaper, The Seattle Times, is the largest daily newspaper in Washington state and the largest Sunday newspaper in the Northwest. The flagship Web site, seattletimes.com, is the largest local news information web site in the Northwest. Other Blethen-owned newspapers in Washington are the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, the Yakima Herald-Republic, The Issaquah Press and its affiliated community newspapers: the Newcastle News, the Sammamish Review and the SnoValley Star.
www.yakimaherald.com