⁸ However much the printing operation in the United States grew, it was never big enough to supply the whole world. Therefore, in the years following the war, printing operations were set up or were already under way in many other countries, including Canada, Denmark, England, Greece, South Africa, Switzerland, and West Germany. By the early 1970’s, Australia, Brazil, Finland, Ghana, Japan, Nigeria, and the Philippines had been added to the list. Some of these countries also produced bound books. Also in the early 1970’s, Gilead missionaries were trained in printing skills and sent to some of these lands to help the local brothers with the printing work.

⁹ During the 1980’s, the number of countries in which magazines were printed reached a peak of 51.a What a fine use of the Master’s belongings all of this turned out to be! What strong evidence of the growth of the Kingdom work! And what a powerful testimony to the generous support of millions of individual Witnesses of Jehovah who ‘honored Jehovah with their valuable things’! (Prov. 3:9) Thus, they proved themselves to be fine stewards of what Jehovah had blessed them with in various ways.

Different Organizational Needs

¹² These new systems changed the organizational needs of the worldwide printing operations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The web offset presses are much faster than the old letterpresses, but they are also much more expensive. Computer systems that support related work, such as writing, translation, art, and graphics, while offering far more possibilities than the old systems, are also more costly. It soon became apparent that it was no longer cost-effective to print magazines in 51 different countries. Hence, in the 1990’s, “the faithful steward” took another look at things. What was the conclusion?

¹³ Studies indicated that the “valuable things” contributed by Jehovah’s Witnesses and their friends would be better spent if the printing work was consolidated. So the number of printing branches was gradually reduced. Germany has taken over the printing of magazines and literature for many lands in Eastern and Western Europe, including some that had previously handled their own printing. Italy supplies magazines and literature to parts of Africa and southeastern Europe, including Greece and Albania. In Africa, magazine printing has been limited to Nigeria and South Africa. Similar consolidation occurred around the world.

Factors to Weigh

¹⁴ By July 1998, printing of magazines will have been discontinued in a number of European countries, including Austria, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The burden of printing in Europe will be carried by Britain, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. In this way, unnecessary expenses will be avoided and contributions used in a better way for the worldwide work. How was it decided which countries would continue as printing locations and which would cease to print? In keeping with its mandate to care wisely for the Master’s belongings, “the faithful steward” carefully evaluated the practicality of printing in each location.

¹⁵ The overwhelming reason why printing was discontinued in some countries and consolidated in others was practicality. To have one country print literature for several other lands is more convenient and is a better use of expensive equipment. Printing is now being done where the costs are lower, materials are available, and shipping facilities are good. Thus, the Master’s belongings are being properly used. Of course, ceasing to print in a country does not mean that the preaching work there will stop. There will still be an abundant supply of printed matter available, and the hundreds of thousands of Witnesses of Jehovah in those lands will keep on zealously telling their neighbors “the good news of peace.” (Eph. 2:17) Moreover, this reorganization has resulted in other benefits.

¹⁶ To cite one benefit, most of the modern presses from Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, and Switzerland were sent to Nigeria and the Philippines. Skilled operators from the European countries accepted the invitation to go with the presses and train the local operators in their use. Hence, those countries are now getting the same high-quality magazines that other lands have had.

¹⁷ Consider another benefit: The cost of printing magazines is now borne in the few lands where printing continues. As a result, in lands where printing has been discontinued, resources are now available for other purposes, such as building Kingdom Halls and helping to care for the needs of our brothers in poorer lands. Thus, careful use of the Master’s belongings means that Paul’s words to the Corinthians can be applied more effectively on an international scale: “I do not mean for it to be easy for others, but hard on you; but that by means of an equalizing your surplus just now might offset their deficiency . . . that an equalizing might take place.”​—2 Cor. 8:13, 14.

¹⁸ As a result of this consolidation, Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world are linked together more closely than ever before. It is not a problem for the Witnesses in Denmark to have their magazines printed in Germany, although they used to print their own. They are grateful for the service of their German brothers. Do Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany resent the fact that their contributions are being used to provide Bible literature for Denmark​—or for Russia, Ukraine, and other lands? Of course not! They are happy to know that the contributions of their brothers in those lands can now be used for other necessary purposes.