Quad/Graphics Announces Intended Layoffs In Sidney

From the second such action in as many years, a large group of graphics professionals are uncertain of their future following a Wednesday afternoon announcement that Quad/Graphics would be closing its Sidney operation.

The announcement was another shock for many of the people working for the company, a good share of them who joined Quad/Graphics after Cabela's shut down its graphics operations early in 2016. That action was taken as Cabela's was working to streamline its operation, which was under corporate attack by Elliott Management.

To trim its overhead, Cabela's at the time entered into an agreement with Quad/Graphics to take care of its media and print needs. At the time, 120 people worked in that area for Cabela's and it was reported about 90 were offered jobs with Quad/Graphics.

This time, the employees are being laid off because, employees were told, Cabela's new owner, Bass Pro, is moving the work to its own in-house operation. Employees were informed by company officials in a meeting around 2 p.m. Wednesday.

In a statement to the Sun-Telegraph, Quad/Graphics said:

"Quad/Graphics has extended and expanded its print relationship with Bass Pro Shops (Bass Pro) and now provides 100% of paper purchasing and printing for the retailer's retail advertising inserts and catalogs. The newly signed multi-year contract includes work for the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's brands.

"Under the new contract, Quad/Graphics' BlueSoHo division will continue to perform internet production services and packaging creative services from its Sidney, Neb., location through year end 2019.

"Over the next 15 months, Bass Pro will centralize all creative services at its headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, where it already employs a large in-house creative group. Consequently, BlueSoHo will transition its Sidney location to closure and, where possible, relocate employees elsewhere within the company.

"All photo, video, design and creative production work related to retail, catalog and collateral projects will immediately begin transferring to Bass Pro's headquarters. This transition is expected to be complete by mid-November 2018 and will impact approximately 33 BlueSoHo employees. Reductions in other areas will occur throughout 2019.

"BlueSoHo will assist all impacted employees in exploring other job opportunities within the company. BlueSoHo operates a very successful network of marketing services on-sites at client locations throughout the United States. Currently, the company has more than 70 of these on-sites across the country, offering everything from marketing strategy (including campaign development) to creative operations, media deployment and marketing management services across print, digital and broadcast channels.

"For those employees who are not interested in relocating or unable to relocate to another BlueSoHo location, the company will provide a separation package that includes extension of pay and healthcare benefits as well as career continuation assistance.

"BlueSoHo has enjoyed serving Cabela's creative needs and being part of the Sidney community since 2016."

For its part, Sidney's economic development team is disappointed in the news, which could negate at least a part of the progress made of late in attracting new jobs to town.

"But we'll continue to pursue new jobs and new opportunities for the people of Sidney," said Melissa Norgard, economic development director for the City of Sidney.

A Quad/Graphics official said that Blue SoHo employs 72 people in Sidney.