The contract had previously been handled for four years by Keldia, whose business was acquired by Alito Color subsidiary Masterspeed last year (PrintWeek, 23 November 2001).

However, Alito Color sales director and former Keldia managing director Tony Foo claimed that the contract only accounted for 20% of the NatWest work that had transferred through the Keldia acquisition.

The Anton Group is PrintWeeks Direct Mail Printer of the Year, and picked up the account following "extensive pre-qualification and tendering" using an e-auction facility adopted by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which owns NatWest.

A spokeswoman for RBS said: "Anton was chosen as it tendered the most competitive pitch." But neither party would confirm the actual value of the bid.

Anton will hold the NatWest contract for the next 12 months. Chief executive John Knight said he looked forward to "enhancing business relations" with RBS.

Alito was in the initial stages of the internet auction. "It was unbelievably cost-competitive and within the first five minutes it was already what we consider to be below cost," said Foo. "Most bidders dropped out at these early stages, but the whole auction went on for one hour and 10 minutes. I couldnt guess what the final bid must have been."

As PrintWeek went to press, the Anton Group team responsible for bidding for the account was not available for comment.

The NatWest work was one of the blue-chip contracts coveted by suitors during Keldias administration.

Story by Rachel Barnes