Communisis Sourcing aims to establish higher levels of professionalism and transparency in supplier selection, and to establish corporate governance to the standard used by the print management group's blue chip client base that includes the likes of Barclays and HBoS.

Existing and new suppliers will now undergo a rigorous pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) before being added to the group's supplier list, which currently stands at around 350 printers but is likely to be reduced to 150-200. Once suppliers are selected a regular dialogue and monitoring process will be established.

"We want to create bigger and closer relationships with fewer people, but we believe we need to have lots of relationships," said group commercial director John Wells. "The PQQ process will allow us to concentrate on those people who really are best in class."

The benefits for those suppliers who make it through the process are more work and quicker payment. Communisis has teamed up with American Express, who will provide its 60 buyers who last year sourced around 200m of goods and services with purchasing cards, which means suppliers will be paid within five working days.

Colour Quest managing director Tyrone Spence was one of the printers who took part in the trials for Communisis Sourcing.

"Communisis is leading the way for a big shake-up within print procurement and this can only have positive impacts on the future," he said.

Wells said the group was keen to "meet and access new suppliers that Communisis has not dealt with previously".

Visit: www.communisis-sourcing.com

Story by Lauretta Roberts