KINGSPORT PRESS [Legacy] - Kingsport, TN
Posted by: 
vhasler
N 36° 33.196 W 082° 33.954
17S E 359856 N 4046457
The Kingsport book press is now gone - literally - as the buildings are being torn down, except for a couple to house the farmers market.
Waymark Code: WM9X2W
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 10/08/2010
Views: 1
KINGSPORT PRESS (open 8:30-4:30 weekdays), Roller and Reedy
Sts., one of the largest plants in the world manufacturing books exclusively, was established in 1922 to publish a low-priced series of the classics, but in 1925 was remodeled for the production of books of all types. A vocational school with a trained supervisor in charge was operated in connection with the plant for several years.
The plant averages 2,000,000 books a month, and uses more than 30
tons of paper daily in the manufacture of Bibles, fiction, reference and school books, catalogs, and encyclopedias. Club and recreation rooms, a cafeteria, and a credit union are operated for employees.
----- TENNESSEE - A Guide to the State (third printing 1949)
"The Press", as it was known locally, was acquired by Quebecor World in the 1990's and ceased production in 2007. The land was returned to the city, which is now taking down the buildings to rejuvenate this section of downtown.
I remember taking the plant tour in the early 1990's, which required three hours to cover most the different production operations. At that time, they were big into coffee table books, text books, the United Methodist hymnal, Campbell soup labels (that red had to be just the right shade), and National Geographic.
For more history, see also Tennessee Encyclopedia link