Butler & Tanner (B&T) has been awarded a three-year contract to produce the Shell annual report and ancillary products from March 2002.

The contract consists of nine publications that together number in excess of 1.3m units (sewn limp and saddlestitched). It is something of a milestone win for the Frome-based company, which began its campaign to broaden its customer base outside the books market just over two years ago.

"In that time we have successfully produced a number of reports for some of the countrys leading agencies. The Shell order confirms our position in this important market," said B&T commercial sales director Charlie Fenby.

Fenby said the firms ability to cope with printing and binding requirements on a tight two-week schedule was a key factor in the win.

"A colour-managed PDF workflow feeding our Creo platesetters, seven large-format colour presses as well as three B1 machines, complemented by five binding lines provides the firepower for even the most demanding of schedules," Fenby added.

The report is being handled by London agency Williams & Phoa, with whom B&T has been working for the past two years. "We have always been impressed [with B&Ts] enthusiasm and commitment. This is great news for them," said managing director Kia Phoa.

B&T, which runs large-format KBA presses, has invested heavily in a marketing programme to target the report and accounts market. Activities have included targeted advertising and awards sponsorship, as well as the production of commemorative book 150B&T to celebrate the firms anniversary. And earlier this year it installed a Muller Martini Prima wire stitcher specifically for finishing reports.

Story by Lauretta Roberts