Acquisition-hungry Communisis, formerly the John Mansfield Group, has made operating profits of 6.8m on 74m turnover for the six months to 30 June.


The group, which bought Waddington and Rexams printing division this year, had aimed for a 10% return on sales, but achieved 9.1%, which it called satisfactory. The results included five months contribution from the former Waddington businesses and two months from the Rexam buy.


Communisis still plans to sell its pharmaceutical packaging firms and Howitts. It is transferring Howitts direct mail work to its Chorleys and Broadprint set-ups (PrintWeek, 25 August).


But chief executive David Jones said: We will take an interest in who it goes to because we want a trading relationship.


His firm also aims to sell the profit-making John Mansfield Group timber business by the end of the year, and has sold Cartonmaster, Essex Business Forms and Johnsen & Jorgensen.


The group is pinning its hopes on trade relationships in financial services, and prints LloydsTSB chequebooks.


We are more interested in personalisation and data management and dont want to carry businesses that dont make 10% profits, said Jones.


Communisis bought Waddington for 289m and Rexams print division for 85m.


Story by Jez Abbott