The latest contract win follows Astron's earlier entry into the US with the signing of a five-year plus deal with Waterford Wedgwood in July a deal worth in the region of 8m per year (PrintWeek, 29 July).

Astron chief executive David Mitchell said BA was one of the firm's longest standing clients, and this was the third time the contract had been renewed.

The contract value has more than doubled from its previous figure of 7m per year, through the inclusion of additional material.

The BA deal also aims to deliver 11m in savings. Mitchell said the contract would now cover corporate communications and marketing print, and include items such as on-board collateral, such as menus.

With the deal being global he said the US would also be included, and the deal extends the relationship between the two companies that has existed since 1996.

Since that time Astron has provided BA with a business process outsourcing (BPO) deal which covered operational print and documentation.

BA director of procurement Silla Maizey said the relationship with Astron was an essential part of BA's on-going strategy.

Savings will be made in the areas of publications, whereas customer service manuals would traditionally be printed on paper, these will now only be made available online and on CD.

Mitchell said Astron would also make savings by the way it is able to integrate services, and just by its different approach to print management.

Story by Andy Scott