The company prints and distributes press releases, press packs, stationery and promotional items. It now has an on-site facility in London managed by Cats and in the case of additional work, printing will be transferred to Cats Swindon headquarters. It is Cats first print-only facilities management contract in the marketing sector and its ninth overall.

The contract means that we are on-site with the client and if the London print room gets stretched they can send the work down the line to Swindon and have something produced for the next day, said Cats managing director Greg Smith.

The Swindon company has kit including 12 Xerox DocuTechs and two Xerox 2060s. PR Newswires equipment includes two DocuTechs.

The move is not just because of overflow but increased capacity in our printing work, said PR Newswire director of creative print services Ed Meek.

Meek added that with more press releases made available online and via websites, the company has had to use its print facilities to produce more brochures and promotional material for clients.

Smith added that he is in negotiations with 24 companies to offer a facilities management service and expects to clinch deals with at least half of them. He also claimed that the service saves clients 40% on overheads.

The contract with PR Newswire is our first one with a City-based company, he said.
Last year Cats launched a 24-hour turnaround digital print hub specifically for copy shops (PrintWeek, 23 May, 2003).

In the summer of last year the company installed its third Xerox DocuColor on the back of two contract wins (PrintWeek, 14 August, 2003).

Story by Philip Chadwick