Virgin has set up a new business to take its own print supply chain management solution to a wider audience, offering clients savings of up to 20% in the process.


New firm Communic8 International is a subsidiary of Virgin Projects, the marketing services wing of the Virgin Group. Virgin Projects had an existing print management relationship with Wace Corporate Print in Swindon, and its managing director Angus Steel will become managing director of Communic8, which went live yesterday (17 May).


Virgin Projects clients services director Megan Simpkins takes on the equivalent role at Communic8, which employs 29 people in London and Swindon.


"Virgin has traditionally been interested in exploiting gaps in markets, and we do not believe that anybody out there is offering an integrated supply solution," stated Steel. "For far too long people have only been interested in reducing the cost of a brochure from 15p to 14p, without looking at how many they are printing, how they are being distributed and the total cost.


"Our research shows that marketing teams are spending up to 30% of their time administering production. We can take that time out by offering this solution, allowing them to concentrate on core competencies," said Steel.


The service has saved Virgin some 5m on its own print and related costs over the past two-and-a-half years. Steel is targeting Communic8 at blue-chip corporates spending upwards of 1m a year. It believes it can save these clients between 15-20% in year one and 12-15% in subsequent years.


"Costs are very important, but our marketplace is equally interested in reducing lead times," added Steel. "We are not impinging on the creative process, weve spent a lot of time developing digital asset management, direct mail and personalisation, warehousing and stock and distribution logistics."


Story by Jo Francis