HH Associates, the Croydon-based print management company, has signed a 6m contract with Carphone Warehouse, which it says is a further endorsement of its web-based management system.

The one-year contract, which was concluded after HH Associates successfully managed Carphone Warehouses print requirements for a trial period earlier this year, could be extended for a further three years.

HH Associates sales director Robert MacMillan said: "Were talking about very tight turnaround times. They could phone up today and want posters in their stores the next day. Weve got a number of printers that we know and understand very well and have worked with for years."

MacMillan said the firms 150,000 online management system was a key factor for Carphone Warehouse, allowing it to track on-going jobs in real time, along with electronic invoicing, stock control and tailored management reports.

"When everything is going at 100mpg its obviously vital for them to be able to see everything in the production chain they might have 30 jobs at any one time. Its a pretty unique facility. It allows you to see a jobs history and make changes for reprints," said MacMillan.

He added that the firm, which already boasts The Post Office, FT.com, ITV Digital and The Labour Party in its customer base, expects to conclude contracts with some unnamed blue-chip clients in the next few weeks.

Last year, HH Associates achieved a turnover of 14m, but it expects to break through the 20m barrier in 2001. In September, it announced an 8m-a-year contract with Centrica (PrintWeek, 21 September).

Story by John Davies