Times-journal to print 6 more newspapers on Rome press

♦ The transition is slated to be complete in time for the SCNI pressroom to close in mid-august.

Times-journal Inc., parent company of the Rome News-tribune, will begin printing six other Georgia newspapers at the company’s press facilities in Rome.

Times-journal Publisher Otis Brumby III announced Thursday that the company will phase in production of the Gwinnett Daily Post, Rockdale Citizen, Newton Citizen, Henry Herald, Clayton News and the Jackson Progress-argus, all owned by Southern Community Newspapers Inc.

Times-journal will print and provide inserting and other preparation services.

“We have been working closely with SCNI, helping each other, for several years,” Brumby said. “Whenever we can share resources and operate more efficiently, it helps both companies.”

SCNI President and CEO Mike Gebhart agreed. “There is a synergy between our two companies that we have tapped into before,” Gebhart said. “We are similar in size, product and geography, and this partnership strengthens both of us.”

The SCNI newspapers have been printing at the company’s Lawrenceville facilities in Gwinnett County. That pressroom is expected to close in mid-august when the transition of all papers to TJI production is complete.

The Rome pressroom, under the direction of V.P of Operations Doug Crow, currently prints all Times-journal publications, including

the Marietta Daily Journal, Rome News-tribune, Cherokee Tribune, Cherokee Ledger-news, Calhoun Times, Polk County Standard-journal, Catoosa County News, Walker County Messenger and the Neighbor newspapers serving metro Atlanta. The Daily Citizen (Dalton) and Gadsden (AL) Times are also commercial clients.

Previously, SCNI has outsourced to Times-journal the company’s creative services, layout and news pagination and its customer service call center.