The decision took quite a while due to other factors, but we have always been happy with Cradleys performance, said IMS managing director Mike Taylor.

Cradley kept the contract because of its ability to handle large print and binding capacity, plus its pre-press expertise, he said. The West Midlands firms finishing and mailing facilities were also a factor, as it offers options that may be used on the magazines in the future, he added.

As PrintWeek went to press no one from Cradley Print was available for comment.

In February IMS decided to re-tender for the contract despite extending Cradleys deal at the end of last year. Taylor declined to reveal the identities of the other printers chasing the contract.

The combined weekly print volume for the titles in the UK is around 220,000 copies. Cradley has printed Time since 1994 and Newsweek since August 1998.

IMS is a joint venture between Time and Newsweek, and is responsible for paper, print and distribution operations for the magazines throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.


Cradley Group Holdings has officially applied for admission to transfer its stock exchange listing to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), following its decision to de-list last month (PrintWeek, 5 April).

Story by Andy Scott