The deal was announced today (29 September).

National World has paid £11m in cash on completion of the deal for the two businesses.

Midland News Association publishes flagship regional newspapers the Express & Star and The Shropshire Star. National World described them as “the largest remaining independent regional assets in England”.

The two titles have a combined daily print circulation of around 23,000.

Also included in the deal is a raft of paid and free weeklies in the Midlands, Shropshire and Wales as well as farming and lifestyle magazines.

MNA reaches 1m people per week in print and online.

Press Computer Systems (PCS) PCS provides SaaS technology solutions to publishers.

National World said that PCS tech would “support the group's transition into a fully digitised publishing operation”.

Printweek understands that the MNA titles print at Newsquest.

Last month National World announced that printing of its titles would be moving to Newsquest.

The news comes amid ongoing speculation about future newspaper industry consolidation involving the potential for large-scale sharing of production assets. 

“It’s all looking like it’s coming together, isn’t it? an industry source commented.

Separately, the official sale process for the Telegraph Media Group titles is imminent. 

National World acquired the two businesses from Claverley Group.

Claverley Group also owns Telford web offset and sheetfed printer Precision Colour Printing.

The news has also resulted in immediate industry speculation that Claverley could also hoist a ‘for sale’ sign over PCP.

Claverley Group now consists of Kennedy Publishing, HPCi Media, Cubiquity, and PCP.