Five weeks before the company begins laying off 475 employees, the RR Donnelley company's Human Resources department will hold a career fair to help employees find other jobs.
Although the company never has made a public announcement, Donnelley told its Jefferson City employees on July 31 that the plant would be closed during a two-week period, beginning Oct. 1.
All 475 full-time jobs are affected, up to and including top managers.
The Career Fair will be held from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 28 at Capitol Plaza Hotel.
A flyer posted on the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page says: "We would love to have you as an employer join the event!"
Randy Allen, the chamber's president and CEO, said Wednesday: "All we're doing is facilitating, and trying to get the word out, to bring the Donnelley employees together with the state and local employers who are interested in it."
Amy Susan, spokeswoman for Missouri's Economic Development department, said a state Employment Transition Team held two meetings with employees this week.
"These are not open to the public because confidential information is discussed," she explained.
Susan also said the state is "in touch with the chamber and will be assisting with the career fair as needed."
Allen said the chamber has had limited contact with RR Donnelley's Chicago headquarters.
After a chamber inquiry about when the Jefferson City plant could be marketed to other potential users, Allen said, a Donnelley representative only could say they still were "trying to figure that out."
Donnelley has two other Missouri plants, in Owensville and Liberty.
No one has said whether any Jefferson City employees will be able to seek positions at those plants.
Employees have declined to talk with newspaper reporters, and have referred questions to Donnelley's public relations office at the company's Chicago headquarters.
So far, no one from that office has returned any News Tribune request for comments, or for more information about the planned plant shutdown.
Donnelley acquired the Jefferson City plant in 2007 from the Von Hoffmann Press company.
St. Louis-based Von Hoffmann operated Mid-State Printing Co. in Jefferson City for many years, then built the current plant, 321 Wilson Drive, in 1967.
According to RR Donnelley's "The Jefferson City Donnelley Club" website, http://rrdclubjc.com/von-hoffmann-press, the Credit Suisse Boston company purchased Von Hoffmann in 1995, adding several other companies under the Von Hoffmann name.
In 2004, Von Hoffmann was sold to the Visant company and, three years later, sold to Donnelley.