Communisis claims colossal Lloyds contract

Marketing group Communisis has been chosen by Lloyds Bank to provide all its UK customer transactional printing. The 10-year deal is the biggest is Communisis' history, according to Chief Executive Andy Blundell. As part of its plans to simplify its internet operations, Lloyds will outsource to Communisis all the printing of customer statements, cheque books and the like. Communisis said that the agreement, whereby it will take over Lloyds' current manufacturing sites in Copley and Crawley, was "the largest available contract of its kind in the UK".The company said the deal would double its current annual production volumes for such printing services and generate "substantial" revenues.The contract is expected to become effective in August 2013 and be progressively implemented from October 2013, but remains subject to ratification by Lloyd's board even though it has already been announced to the bank's relevant employees this week. Blundell said: "This is a huge win for Communisis and we are delighted that Lloyds Banking Group has entrusted us with an outsourcing contract of such strategic significance. "Over the 10-year term, we will work with the bank to develop its customer communications in order to make them more personalised and more effective through all channels."Shares in Communisis were up 23% to 67p by London close on Thursday. OH