The three-year extension, for an undisclosed sum, follows a 20-year relationship between the two parties. St Ives Roche will carry out the majority of the work supported by Peterborough and Caerphilly.

Publications printed by St Ives include Computing, IT Week, Accountancy Age, Financial Director, ComputerActive and Personal Computer World.

VNU production director Joanne Hurst said that the renewal was based on a "long and successful business relationship with St Ives Web".

"Over the years we have worked closely together to develop a wide range of magazine brands, achieving significant industry breakthroughs along the way," she added.

VNU was also swayed by St Ives Web's "flexibility and reliability coupled with the quality and speed of output".

St Ives first picked up the contract to print ComputerActive back in 2001. The title had been produced gravure at Quebecor's Mary-sur-Marne plant in France.

Other business titles in the VNU stable include Management Consultancy, Webactive, Information World Review and Computer Reseller News.

VNU has around 70 business titles in Europe and has a presence in the Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Belgium.

St Ives Web had a buoyant end to 2004, picking up a raft of contracts. In December it picked up a slice of English Heritage's contract to print handbooks, while in November it landed its biggest-ever sheetfed order from IPC Media.

Last Autumn, St Ives Caerphilly clinched a deal to print Debenhams' quarterly customer magazine Desire.

Story by Philip Chadwick