TILBURG, HOLLAND—  Fujifilm is closing its offset plate production line in Europe, with the production of plates currently made there to be transferred to factories in Japan and China. The Tilburg  Holland manufacturing site was established in 1982. It makes offset plates, photographic paper, membranes and cell culture media, it employed 734 people. Fujifilm said "In the offset printing market, there has been a continuous decrease in the demand for offset printing plates caused by the
transition to other forms of communication, particularly digital media, and the diversification of printed output as a result of the growth in digital printing. As a result, Fujifilm has decided to close its remaining offset plate production line at the European plant. The production of offset plates in Europe will stop, with the process anticipated to be complete in late 2023."  The closing is unlikely to have any effect on the North American market but it does indicate a shift in the plate market world wide.