Portland-based catalogue printer Signature Graphics will print The Oregonian with the decision to shut the US newspaper's printing plant.

The heatset and coldset printer has signed a contract with Advance Central Services Oregon - which currently prints and distributes the paper, its weekly and speciality publications for The Oregonian Media Group - effective later this year.

Advance Central Services Oregon was established as a separate company in October 2013. Vice president and general manager Kevin Dennysays that while the changes are not expected to impact the delivery of the printed product, "it does mean we will be saying goodbye to our longtime pressroom employees".

"(The) announcement will result in operational efficiencies and it will result in only minor changes in our work flow - most of which readers won't even notice," he says.

Advance has retained a broker to explore selling the existing pressroom facility which occupies more than a city block.

Established in 1984, Signature Graphics has become one of the largest printers in the Pacific northwest, handling coupon books, newspapers, catalogues, inserts and direct mail postcards as well as offering file editing and mailing functions.