Charlie Hebdo could print as many as 3m copies of the special issue, which will be published on Wednesday.

Initial plans for a print run of 1m were upscaled as the likely demand for the issue became apparent. According to reports, the publisher is ready to immediately reprint additional copies following the initial 1m print run, in order to meet national and international demand.

The satirical title’s remaining staff and supporters are operating from the premises of French newspaper Libération.

Charlie Hebdo normally has a print run of around 60,000. PrintWeek understands the magazine’s usual printer will still produce part of the run but does not have the capability to produce such huge volumes at such short notice.

The publisher is likely to have engaged one or more French or continental gravure or web offset printers to produce the quantities required. The project will also have required  significant additional paper tonnage at short notice.

The new issue will be a lower pagination than usual, but will be translated into 16 languages according to various reports from Paris.

A French printing industry expert told PrintWeek: “The magazine’s current printer said that the police have asked, for security reasons, not to reveal the name of the other printers.”

Menzies Distribution has confirmed to The Telegraph that it will be among the companies to distribute the upcoming special edition in the UK.

Head of communications Dave Shedden told the newspaper that the firm did not expect to face any particular security issues, but would take precautions if advised to do so by its security team.