The Avon catalogue is published 18 times a year, and has an average print run of between 2.7 million to 3 million depending on the season.

It has been printed at RR Donnelley’s Flaxby Moor site since 2011, after the company won the work from Pindar in Scarborough the previous year.

Own-brand cosmetics giant Avon also sells a range of gifts such as jewellery, and clothing. The current Christmas edition of its UK catalogue is more than 200pp. 

In October, RR Donnelley announced plans to close the Flaxby Moor factory, with closure slated for 31 December.

Avon head of print and production EAMER James Cameron told PrintWeek he hoped to complete the print tender process by the end of November.

“It’s a very schedule- and process-driven product. We could stay in the UK or go to the continent,” he explained.

There has been speculation that the job will be relocated to RR Donnelley’s web offset plant in Poland. A source close to the situation said it was “not a foregone conclusion” that the US print giant would retain the work.

“You’d have thought RRD would have done their homework and nailed this down before the Flaxby announcement,” said one web offset expert.

Pindar has been part of the YM Group since 2011. The firm had installed a specially-configured 48pp Manroland Lithoman press to print the Avon products under its previous ownership.

The Lithoman has an additional unit for scent application. Pindar is viewed as the only UK printer with an existing press set-up that is suitable for the production of the handbag-sized catalogue.