Printing giant IVE Group has won the Pacific Magazines contract from its major rival PMP, signing up a deal lasting four years.

Pacific Magazines is the number two magazine publisher in the country, with a 35 per cent market share. Bauer is number one, with almost 50 per cent, its titles are printed by PMP.

Losing the contract will be a bitter blow to PMP, which was originally the same company as Pacific Magazines, with Pacific Magazines and Printing formed in 1991 when Ruper Murdoch span off his magazine business. Seven Media bought Pacific Magazines in 2002, leaving PMP solely as a print business.

The contract includes the entire stable of Pacific Magazine regular mastheads.

[Related: Pacific Mag closes print tabloid]

Production will be managed through IVE businesses Blue Star Web and Franklin Web. IVE is currently constructing a new print site in Sydney’s west for the NSW Franklin Web operation.

The majority of Pacific Magazines titles including InStyle, Home Beautiful, Who, Marie Claire, That’s Life!, Family Circle,  Men’s Health, Women’s Health, and Girlfriend, will transition to IVE effective from mid-October with the remaining two mastheads, Better Homes and Gardens and New Idea transitioning in January.

Warwick Hay, managing director, IVE Group says, “We are delighted to expanding our services with Pacific Magazines. Our capacity to provide high quality on time delivery for a range of publications is underpinned by our current $40m investment program to upgrade technology in Blue Star Web and the establishment of our Franklin Web operation in NSW.”

Gereurd Roberts, CEO at Pacific Magazines says, “Blue Star Web has been a valued partner since 2005 and we are pleased to be taking our relationship to the next level.”

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