Three-quarters of the five-year-plus deal, worth in the region of 8m (e12m) per year, will be in the US.

"It's a major contract for us and a major implementation in the US," said Astron chief executive David Mitchell. "We're hopeful for the US market, it is relatively untapped while the UK is getting pretty busy."

The firm is adding an office in New York to support the contract, which joins other US operations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. "Our approach to countries is always based on being backed up by contracts," said Mitchell. "We support customers where they want."

Mitchell said it was too early to say how big the office, which will house a mix of existing UK staff and new US staff, would be.

Waterford Wedgwood is a new client for the firm. It won the contract for marketing and point-of-sale print covering its Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood and Rosenthal brands as part of a tender.

As well as print, Astron will provide marketing support services including photography, design and artworking.

Waterford Wedgwood director of global procurement and outsourcing JP Murtagh said the company had been looking for a supply partner to support its manufacturing requirements and marketing initiatives.

"In Astron we found a strategic supply partner who shares our commitment to excellence in customer service and quality."

The print management service for Wedgwood will begin in Ireland, Germany, the UK and the US and then be rolled out across the rest of Europe.

This latest win for Astron follows its recent acquisition of Experian's print and mail division in Nottingham, (PrintWeek, 22 July), and its acquisition of Edotech for 130m in May this year.