BDL Print Group's two- year contract will cover print and related services and will be worth between 1m and 2m per year.

The Kent-based print management firm will handle the majority of the holiday group's print requirements, with the exception of brochure production and travel documentation.

"This contract provides an excellent platform for BDL to further develop its relationship with the First Choice Group," said BDL managing director Kevin Rowland.

Prior to the deal the firm had been working with First Choice on an ad-hoc basis for over 15 years. "We managed to show them that there were real savings to be had by going with a sole supplier," said sales and marketing director Shane Inger.

BDL will handle marketing, including direct mail, stationery, overseas print and other value-added services. It will also manage the holiday giant's inplant.

First Choice's three-year deal with transactional mail specialist OTM will cover the processing and printing of its personalised travel documentation.

OTM will produce the personalised chequebook-style booklets for the tour operator on its Xerox iGen3.
First Choice head of product development and revenue generation John Broughton said that the deal will revolutionise the firm's ticketing system.
He said it would "deliver to the customer a single, integrated, easy to understand personalised pre-departure booklet."

By Darryl Danielli