The move, predicted by PrintWeek, was officially rubber stamped today (24 June).
The two companies have signed new five-year deals for the printing and finishing of Night & Day, You, and Weekend. The deal involves the production of 8.7m magazines a week, and for the first time the majority of the magazines will be polywrapped by the printer "creating an improved product in response to both advertising demand and trends in the retail supply chain".
Night & Day and You will be produced gravure, while Weekend will remain web offset because of its format. Its 3.5-4m run will be split across two plants, which Polestar said would require new web offset investment.
As part of the process Associated has switched from having an overall contract to placing individual contracts for each magazine.
The publisher said that circulation growth and the increasing complexity of the products lay behind the move. "We have the greatest confidence and respect for our colleagues in Corby, but we needed to change the printing process to gain flexibility, and to polywrap to improve the overall package. This required heavy investment on new plant within the UK," said managing director Murdoch MacLennan.
Quebecor World has printed the titles since 1995 and will continue to print them until next May, when its contract with Associated expires. "We are very disappointed not to have renewed the contract, but don't wish to make any further comment at this stage," said UK managing director Andrew Parker.
It is too early to say what impact the loss of the contract will have on Quebecor World's facility at Corby, where most of the Associated work is currently produced.
There is no news yet on the ES or Metro magazine contracts, currently held respectively by Quebecor World and Polestar.
See earlier stories Scramble's on for supplement deals, Bidding hots up for Associated supplements contract.
[o]Separately, Polestar has been granted planning permission for its Sheffield gravure superplant, subject to an environmental assessment. See story here.
