UK printings struggle to remain competitive against European competition has allowed Italian print group Longo to record sales of about 1.5m in its first year in the UK market.


UK head of sales and marketing Maurice Snowdon said the group would expand its salesforce and open a sales office in the South-East in the next few months.


"We have gone from one customer to 86, and intend to keep that growing," he said.


The weak euro and the strength of sterling had allowed the group to be "extremely competitive in the UK," he added.


Current clients from the UK include Southdown College and fashion house Versace, whose UK winter catalogue was designed in the UK and will be printed in Italy.


Snowdon said the UK business was mainly focused on the sheetfed B1 market, carrying out work for direct-mail agencies and publishers.


Graphic designer Phillip Bentley of pharmaceutical publisher Magister Consulting said he had been using Longo for nine months, mainly due to its "competitive pricing".


"We have used them for mainly full-colour corporate brochure work, and have been pleased with the results, but still use printers in the UK for short-run work," said Bentley.


The Italian-based web and sheetfed outfits global group sales have grown from 25m last year to nearly 32m in 2001.


Longos main markets are in Germany, Switzerland and Italy, with customers including Swatch watches and Alitalia, the Italian airline.


The family-owned group said it no longer planned to buy a UK company, and would instead look to expand its sales presence.


Story by Andy Scott