The new contract means the printer's relationship with the weekly current affairs title will pass the 20-year mark.

St Ives prints the weekly magazine, which has a UK circulation of more than 180,000, at its Peterborough Web plant on Manroland Lithoman presses.

The title is also printed simultaneously in five other countries for distribution the next day, in regions including north American, Asia Pacific and continental Europe.

Sharon Simpson, international production director for The Economist, said: "The Economist has the kind of tight deadlines associated with newspapers, but is printed in a magazine format.

"It is therefore crucial that our printer be able to meet the production challenges this presents, sometimes shutting down the presses and restarting the print run if we receive a late breaking story."

St Ives Web sales director Tony Ayles added: "We are extremely pleased that The Economist has renewed its print contract with St Ives. This newspaper has enjoyed immense success over the last few years, increasing its circulation and pagination and leading to even shorter deadlines to meet demand."

The length of the new contract has not been revealed.