The London-based print and facilities management group won the pan-European print contract following a competitive tender process. Although its value is undisclosed, Williams Lea UK managing director Miles Toulson-Clarke likened it to its recent success in winning a 150m deal with financial services provider abbey earlier this year (PrintWeek, 12 February).

Industry sources said the value for the UK and Republic of Ireland side of the deal alone is estimated to be worth in the region of 6m per year.

The win for Williams Lea will also see rival print management company Centurion, a subsidiary of Communisis, lose the contract to handle Microsoft's UK print requirements.

Communisis was awarded the contract, the value of which was undisclosed, in April last year, with the deal commencing in May of 2003.

Communisis declined to comment as PrintWeek went to press. Toulson-Clarke said Williams Lea had begun talks with Microsoft just over a year ago, after Microsoft had decided to extend its print management requirements to Europe.

Toulson-Clarke said the deal was a "substantial and very significant win" for Williams Lea. The contract will roll out across 15 European countries, three of which will initially start across a four-month period.

France will be the first to be implemented on 1 July, followed by the UK in August, and Germany in October. Other countries will then be rolled-out including the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden.

Williams Lea will provide Microsoft with services for marketing print, point-of-sale material, direct mail and warehousing.

Story by Andy Scott