Production director Jasper Scott (pictured) estimated that IPC was supplied by over 100 printers, which he is looking to reduce.

"Id reckon to halve it," said Scott.

Currently all print excluding its contracted magazine print is bought on an ad hoc basis including stationery, business cards and marketing materials. Buying is the responsibility of individual departments.

In future all buying will go through a Printcafe EnterpriseSite e-commerce system. This will mean that printers without their own Printcafe e-commerce system will have to pay a per-transaction charge of 1-2% of the job value for each job they produce.

Printcafe European managing director Robert Berkeley likened it to the fee retailers pay for credit card transactions.

"I dont see why those who do get business should object to spending a small fee," said Scott. "Would you go back to a restaurant that doesnt take credit cards?"

Given the current system Scott said it was impossible to provide an accurate figure for the firms current spend on commercial print. EnterpriseSite will provide accurate figures as well as cut IPCs internal costs associated with buying print.

"The great thing about e-procurement is you can press one button rather than making 10 phone calls," said Scott.

IPCs parent company AOL Time Warner also uses Printcafe as its preferred internal print procurement provider, and Scott was an early proponent of the system at Cond Nast.

Story by Barney Cox