BUFFALO - A number of Western New Yorkers are lending their voices to the growing chorus of those stressing what they say would be the devastating economic consequences of closing the Buffalo Mail Processing facility on William Street.  Local business owners, nonprofit leaders and Town Clerks joined Congressman Brian Higgins (D-27) to outline the impact to local companies and jobs.

“Closing the Buffalo facility is about more than the 700 jobs at William Street; a shutdown would create an enormous economic ripple effect that can take out jobs and businesses across the region reaching every aspect of Western New York’s economy,” said Higgins.

In particular, the competitive landscape for the local printing and mailing industries will be permanently changed by closing of the Buffalo plant.  The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is telling local mailers that there will be no change to the Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU – area of postal facility where mailers present bulk/permit mail for acceptance) and Sectional Center Facility (SCF) rate during “transition” period but USPS personnel won’t define “transition” period.  In Pennsylvania, the promise of keeping BMEU open lasted just 6 months after Wilkes-Barre facility work was transferred to Scranton.  If this were to occur in Western New York, the demand for local companies to do printing and mailing would be greatly reduced and private sector jobs would be lost. 

Zenger Group, headquartered in Buffalo, employs 118 local residents and prints and prepares on average over 4 million pieces of mail each month.  Zenger Group President and CEO Stephen Zenger stressed Buffalo’s unique position as the gateway to the U.S. for Toronto and the golden horseshoe of Southern Ontario. 

“The Buffalo Processing and Distribution Center handles a significant volume of mail from Canadian companies, both mail produced in Canada and trucked across the border and mail produced here by Western New York area printers.  We believe much of this volume will disappear if the Buffalo Center is closed”, said Zenger.  “First, additional costs of trucking mail from Canada beyond Buffalo will preclude much of this work from being done in this fashion. Second, much of the mail produced here for Canadian customers by Western New York printers is done so because it is logistically convenient for printer/customer interactions such plant visits and press checks.  When the mail ceases to be processed here, the logistical benefits will cease as well and the work will cease shortly thereafter.”