Back to the BSA Consortium

The combination of our print and packaging purchasing and Partner-led project management expertise, the strength of supplier relationships built and our buying power all help to deliver significant total cost reduction to our Clients.

What are the types of print and packaging available via the BSA Consortium?

• Print Projects (e.g. leaflets, catalogues, brochures, marketing literature, labels)

• Transit Corrugated Cardboard boxes

• Printed Gift Cartons & cartonboard projects (e.g. point of sale displays)

• Padded Envelopes

• Bubble wrap & Shrinkwrap

PRINT

• Accounts for 1.7% of the UK GDP, £13 bn in sales per annum.

• A prime candidate for outsourcing yet most companies overlook it.

• Many companies have a low awareness of the true cost of print to their business.

• Is a demanding drain on company personnel.

• Is required by the majority of departments within most businesses.

• Is accounted for in various operational cost centres.

What types of print project can the BSA Consortium and its Partners handle?

• Commercial Colour & Campaign Products (e.g. posters, leaflets, brochures, catalogues, product cards)

• Business cards, letterheads, compliment slips

• Business forms

• Self Adhesive Labels

• Security print

• Document processing & Direct Mail

• Mailing Services

What are the Benefits of joining the BSA Consortium for Print Projects?

• Collaborative Buying - Procuring print and print related items across all formats through one point of contact.

• Reduced Costs - Real costs reductions, not only just ink on paper, but further reductions through improved time management.

• Ongoing Supplier Performance measurement - keeping the Suppliers under constant pressure to ensure that standards are maintained or ideally improved over time.

• Time Management - It is often the case that print purchasing is managed through different departments. Consolidated buying frees up time to allow departments to concentrate on key roles.

• Buying Expertise - Expertise in all print formats, ensuring that the print job uses the appropriate format that delivers value for money.

• Quality/Brand Control - Ensuring consistency in materials and eliminating risk of colour variation through consolidation

• Print Management Audit -Take advantage of an independent review of your print management processes. Our audit will uncover ways in which you can reduce total cost through a review of internal/external communication flows and information management. There is a daily charge for this service, negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Why should I outsource my print requirements?

• Remove non core activities.

• Release key personal to concentrate on core roles.

• Improve control over all branded collateral.

• Enjoy a single point of contact.

• Obtain supplier performance measurement (service and price)

• Rationalise to avoid duplication.

• Enhance skills within the team that may have been lacking in the past.

• Improve production planning to improve efficiency.

• All print processes incorporated: -Digital, Lithographic, Flexography, Offset Web and Silk Screen

What print management services can the BSA Consortium and Partners provide?

• Print Management Process Audit

• Print Buying

• Account Management

• Stock Management

• MIS and workflow

• Reprographics & Artwork Development

• Production Management

• Document Management

• Fulfillment & Dispatch

What peace of mind do we have that the suppliers used will deliver quality product and service at a keen price?

• Identification and analysis of suppliers to meet the varied needs of a diverse Client base is managed by our quality control team.

• Suppliers must be able to provide evidence of best in class standards to be awarded network recognition.

• At least 3 suppliers are quoted for every order.

• Suppliers are rigorously vetted and audited for technical, quality financial and reliability attributes.

• Environmental and ethical standards are also examined

• Performance measurements are used to drive up service levels

• Benchmarking tools are used to ensure that pricing levels remain competitive

Why is it important to consider our total print management processes?

The "ink on paper" cost represents only one part of the total print procurement cost, which we can reduce through partnership and buying power. We can also reduce the remaining costs as follows:

• Administration costs - all administration can be done via a web-based platform

• Storage space - we advise on reducing this issue

• Ordering & Processing costs - all web-based ordering, with response by e-mail and or SMS. Web-based stock system for regular updates

• PDF proofing costs - we can offer PDF proofing on line

• Delivery costs - we recommend a scheduled approach to improve efficiency and reduced costs

• Invoicing costs - we encourage on-line invoicing to reduce paper trail

PACKAGING

What product areas do the Buying Support Agency cover?

• Transit Corrugated Cardboard boxes

• Printed Gift Cartons & cartonboard projects (e.g. point of sale displays)

• Bubble wrap & Shrinkwrap

What services do the BSA Consortium and its Partners offer in this category area?

• Price benchmarking

• Packaging technology services - this typically incurs an hourly or daily charge depending on the size of project and is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

• Marketing expertise in the areas of cartonboard and corrugated cases (i.e. advice on appropriate dimensions, styles, colour, presentation, strength of board grade, etc). This service typically incurs a daily or hourly charge, though it depends on size of project and is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

• Print management

• Supplier Performance measurement

What benefits are gained from joining this category of the BSA Consortium?

• Significantly reduced prices thanks to our buying power and supplier partnerships. This service has no charge to you as we earn a small commission from our partner suppliers.

• External packaging technology expertise to ensure that the packaging is fit for purpose and able to survive the production, storage and delivery stages of the supply chain. Material specification development and transit testing can all be done by our Partners.

• External marketing design expertise to ensure that the printed carton has maximum impact on shelf.

• Supplier Performance measurement on an ongoing basis.

Case Study

One of our Clients is an internet based mail order company. It buys a lot of corrugated cardboard boxes for the distribution of its products. However, before it joined the BSA Consortium, it was paying far too much for this packaging; not only were the sizes inappropriate and paper board grades over-kill, but the volumes being purchased were not optimised.
Our packaging and supply chain know-how has changed all that - now their products are less likely to reach the end customer damaged AND they've reduced their costs by an amazing 40%!