Thomson Reuters global print unit
PE-OWNED
Acquired by KKR
What PE Will Likely Do
Paper stock quality degradation: shift from 60-80 lb premium coated stock to thinner, lower-brightness uncoated paper to reduce material costs by 15-25%
Print frequency reductions: daily or weekly looseleaf services (Westlaw print updates, tax code reporters) delayed or consolidated, reducing update timeliness by 30-50%
Binding and cover quality decline: shift from Smyth-sewn hardcovers to adhesive-bound or perfect-bound formats with shorter lifespan, particularly for legal treatises and statutory compilations
Content condensation: elimination of secondary sources, practice notes, and editorial commentary from print volumes to reduce pagination and production costs
Subscription price increases of 20-40% for institutional customers (law firms, courthouses, university libraries) with reduced negotiation flexibility
Expected Timeline
“0 to 6 months months”
Announcements of 'digital-first strategy' and 'optimizing our print portfolio'; initial price increases communicated to institutional subscribers; freeze on new editorial hiring
“6 to 12 months months”
First wave of discontinued titles (low-volume state reporters, international print); paper specification changes implemented without formal announcement; customer service staff reductions
“12 to 24 months months”
Observable quality degradation in binding and paper stock; noticeable delays in statutory supplement schedules; consolidation of regional distribution centers causing fulfillment delays
“24 to 48 months months”
Significant content condensation in remaining titles; 30-40% price increases implemented; digital-print divergence becomes problematic for practitioners relying on print authority
“48 to 60 months months”
Potential sale of residual print assets to specialty publisher or liquidation; complete exit from daily/weekly looseleaf services; bankruptcy or restructuring if debt service unsustainable
What You Can Do
Actions
Law firms and libraries: Audit current print subscriptions and negotiate multi-year price locks before 12-month mark; document current paper specifications and binding types as baseline
Practitioners in states with Thomson Reuters-exclusive reporters: Acquire alternative research sources (state bar publications, competing publishers) as hedge against discontinuation
Courts and government libraries: Advocate for statutory deposit requirements or public access mandates to preserve official print availability
Academic institutions: Evaluate digital alternatives (Westlaw Edge, Lexis+) for curriculum integration given likely print quality degradation
Individual practitioners: Purchase current-edition treatises and statutory compilations before paper/binding changes; retain as authoritative backup given likely digital-print divergence
Alternatives
Look for family-owned or employee-owned businesses