Mounting concern about a new Chinese censorship regime is provoking some Kiwi publishing houses to move valuable printing contracts to Singapore, Malaysia – or back home to New Zealand.

Printing companies like Wellington-headquartered Bluestar are welcoming the additional work, though they are struggling to ship in enough paper to meet the demands of book publishers. Auckland University Press, Massey University Press, Te Herenga Waka University Press and Te Papa Press are among the companies that say they are printing fewer books in China.

Bluestar NZ group general manager Darren Comrie acknowledges printing in China can be cheaper, but says there are added freight costs. "The supply chains are challenging for everyone," he says. "But obviously we can turn it around quicker. Our quality would be better. Here, you can actually come and see it on a press and it's easier to monitor your job. And we're keeping New Zealanders employed."