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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe Washington Post plans to permanently close its 46-year-old printing plant in Springfield, Virginia, eliminating 118 jobs when the closure takes effect on December 31, 2026. Printing is being moved to a smaller leased facility in Sterling near the Loudoun Gateway and Dulles area, where the company is installing a new press.
What is happening at the Springfield plant?
The Post’s printing facility at 7171 Wimsatt Road in Springfield will shut permanently. A Virginia Works WARN notice dated October 7, 2026, lists 118 employees affected by the closure and gives December 31, 2026, as the impact date.
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Wayne Connell, the newspaper’s chief human resources officer, said in the closure notice that “this facility closure will unfortunately result in the separation of various employees” and that “the Post expects this action to be permanent.”
Why is The Washington Post relocating printing?
The company and reports about the move describe it as a cost-reduction and modernization project. The Post is moving production to a smaller leased site in Sterling and installing a new press there. The stated goal is to improve operating efficiency while continuing to support the newspaper’s print business.
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The Post previously said the move from Springfield should be completed by January 2027. That timetable is close to the WARN notice’s December 31, 2026, closure date, although the notice establishes the employment impact date rather than every stage of the physical relocation.
Which jobs are affected?
The 118 WARN-listed positions span the plant’s production, engineering, circulation and workplace-support operations. Reported roles include:
- Building engineers
- Machinists
- Press operators
- Janitors
- Maintenance workers
- Circulation drivers
- Occupational health nurses
Some of the affected employees are represented by unions. The WARN filing identifies the number of jobs affected, but it does not establish how many of those employees will be offered positions at the Sterling-area facility.
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The final transfer count is not known. A source told TheWrap that roughly half of the Springfield plant’s overall workforce is relocating, but that estimate cannot be applied directly to the 118 employees listed in the WARN notice. The 118 figure covers employees affected by the closure; the sources reviewed do not state how many of that specific group will ultimately work at Sterling.
Employees’ outcomes can therefore differ by role, union arrangements and the staffing requirements of the new press operation. Until the Post provides a final staffing plan, the WARN number should be read as the number affected by the closure, not as a confirmed count of permanent layoffs after any transfers.
How large is the old plant, and what replaces it?
The Springfield property covers more than 40 acres and includes an approximately 500,000-square-foot printing facility. It opened in 1980, when the Post’s Sunday print circulation was about 1.3 million copies.
The replacement site in Sterling is smaller and leased. Its new press is intended to modernize production, but the available information does not state the facility’s square footage, press capacity or final headcount. The Post has also said it was considering selling the Springfield property, which was assessed at $38 million.
How has the Post’s print audience changed?
The plant was built for a much larger print operation than the newspaper runs today. Alliance for Audited Media data for 2025 lists paid print circulation of about 97,000 on weekdays and 160,000 on Sundays, compared with roughly 1.3 million Sunday copies when the Springfield plant opened in 1980.
| Measure | Figure | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield plant opening | 1980 | The facility began operating during a period when Sunday print circulation was about 1.3 million. |
| Current plant footprint | More than 40 acres | Springfield property. |
| Printing building | Approximately 500,000 square feet | Existing Springfield facility. |
| Paid daily print circulation | 97,000 | Alliance for Audited Media, 2025. |
| Paid Sunday print circulation | 160,000 | Alliance for Audited Media, 2025. |
| WARN-listed employees affected | 118 | Virginia Works notice dated October 7, 2026; impact date December 31, 2026. |
What happens next?
- December 31, 2026: The WARN notice’s listed employment impact date arrives and the Springfield closure takes effect.
- Relocation period: Printing equipment and operations move to the Sterling facility near the Loudoun Gateway and Dulles area.
- By January 2027: The Post previously expected the move to be completed.
- Staffing decisions: The company must determine which affected workers, if any, transfer to the new operation. No final transfer total has been publicly established.
The closure reflects the economics of operating a large, decades-old newspaper plant for a substantially smaller print audience. It also illustrates the distinction between a WARN-notice job count and the number of people who may eventually lose employment: some workers could transfer, while others may be separated when Springfield closes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Washington Post workers are affected by the plant closure?
A Virginia Works WARN notice lists 118 employees affected, with an impact date of December 31, 2026.
Where will The Washington Post print its newspapers?
Printing is moving to a smaller leased facility in Sterling near the Loudoun Gateway and Dulles area, where the Post is installing a new press.
Is the number of workers transferring to Sterling known?
No. Public information does not establish how many of the 118 WARN-listed employees will transfer. A report that roughly half of the overall Springfield workforce is relocating does not provide a confirmed count for the WARN-listed group.
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