IPC Media today announces its intention to award a new contract to Polestar that will see the supplier take on the printing and binding of all of its regular frequency magazines, making it responsible for IPC’s complete portfolio.

IPC intends to award the contract to Polestar on a six-year term from July 2014 through to 2020. The work will be produced at Polestar’s sites in Sheffield, Wakefield, Leeds and Bicester, with sheet fed production being handled at Stones in Banbury.

Polestar already handles the production of 15 of IPC’s specialist magazines (two weeklies, and 13 monthly/four-weekly titles) in a contract which runs until 2017. The 15 specialist magazines are produced at Polestar Chantry and Polestar Colchester.

Guy Gleysteen, senior vice president, Production, Time Inc. says: “Polestar is a key partner to IPC Media. Its investment has created a platform for the future that makes the expansion of our partnership the right choice for both companies.”

Richard Hill, Production Operations director, IPC Media, adds: “This decision extends and expands our long-standing relationship with Polestar. Polestar’s existing facilities combined with the new press investments will enhance the scale and flexibility of the resources available to meet the future manufacturing needs of our diverse portfolio of brands and will help to drive future manufacturing efficiencies beyond printing and binding. At the same time I would like to acknowledge and thank the excellent way in which the teams at Wyndeham and Pensord have served IPC over many years.”

Barry Hibbert, CEO of Polestar, says: “This is a huge decision by IPC Media and it is not an understatement to say that the Polestar team is absolutely thrilled.  I am proud that our relationship goes back many decades and is one that we look forward to growing together into the future.”

James Povey, Marketing Director – UK Print, adds: “We have always sought to prove ourselves as the best possible supplier of choice to IPC Media - never more so than at this point, when our investment programme and service history has been validated in such a significant way.  To have been awarded the status of sole supplier is fantastic news for our business and we are extremely grateful for the vote of trust IPC Media has placed in our future relationship.”