Trade magazine Plastics and Rubber Weekly has closed after more than half a century of publication with 18 UK staff made redundant as a result, Press Gazette understands.
An office in Croydon is also believed to have shut down while administrative staff are to be moved to Detroit, USA, headquarters of American owners Crain Communications.
The closure of the UK-focused publication comes as Crain merges it with Plastics News Europe, which it says will now serve as its “signature brand” across Europe.
“Merging these two brands makes sense for our customers and our business,” said Brennan Lafferty, vice president and group publisher of the Crain Global Polymer Group.
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“It simplifies our offerings to the marketplace with one brand providing content and marketing channels across print, digital, conference and trade show platforms…
“Our goal is the same as ever — tell great stories and provide avenues for our advertisers to reach their customers, our readers.”
Press Gazette understands that Plastics News Europe will stop printing a monthly edition and instead turn its focus to putting content online, with occasional digital and print magazine editions.
Plastics and Rubber Weekly has an average total circulation of 10,000 copies, according to the latest ABC figures. Data was not available for Plastics News Europe.
Plastics News Europe editor David Eldridge, sales director Matt Barber and conference director Donna Bushell are set to continue in their management roles, the company has said.
Eldridge said: “Plastics News Europe is already well known for reporting developments across the whole European plastics industry, irrespective of country borders. Our aim is to serve the needs of decision makers wherever they are located — from Aberdeen to Zagreb.”
Plastics and Rubber Weekly was founded in 1964, and European Plastics News in 1974 (rebranded as Plastics News Europe last year). Crain Communications Inc bought both magazines in 2007 from London-based Emap Communications.
Crain Communications is a business-to-business media company with 55 brands, employing more than 800 people worldwide.
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