Chris Barker, the group’s long-standing strategic contracts director, is understood to have left the business.

Barker joined Robert Maxwell’s BPCC in 1991, and that company (subsequently renamed BPC) went on to merge with Watmoughs to form Polestar in 1998.

The reasons for his departure are unknown, and PrintWeek was unable to reach Barker for comment.

Barker had played a key role in managing group purchasing and in negotiations over major contracts with Polestar’s customers and suppliers.

A well-placed source said: “Chris was a good bloke. I always found him really good to deal with and he really knows his stuff. They will miss having him around.”

It’s not clear if he will be replaced at the £239m group, which is in the midst of a critical period as its new web offset capacity starts to come on-stream at what is one of the busiest times of the year for the web offset industry in general.

A number of other senior management changes are understood to have taken place at the business, including the departure of print consultant Bob Caley who had been deployed at various sites including Chromoworks and Colchester.

Polestar chief operating officer Peter Andreou declined to comment.

Polestar continues to make progress with the commissioning of the first 96pp Goss Sunday 5000 web with white paper running through folder on the press at the beginning of this month, although it had hoped to start printing on the press late last month.