Our procurement services are all about finding the perfect suppliers for every job, so your project has the impact it deserves.
What is print procurement?
Procurement is one of the main services involved in print management. Once we know the specifications of your job, our team will go out to various trusted suppliers and procure quotes for print and, if necessary, for postage and mailing. When a decision has been made about which supplier to use, we’ll go ahead and procure those printing contracts and services on your behalf.
We can source printing stock directly on behalf of our customers or act as procurement consultants, advising on print tenders and bid management.
Unlike traditional print managers, we won’t just go for the supplier with the quickest turnaround (unless you’re on a particularly tight deadline!). At Eight Plus, we always look to add value along the way, perfecting everything from colour matching to paper stocks, printing equipment and distribution services, and minimising wastage, so we can really contribute something that’s worthwhile, rather than simply brokering your print job.
“We’re looking to find the right product for the client, from the right supplier.”
Caroline Varley, Commercial Director, Eight Plus
Benefits of print procurement
In a bid to cut costs when it comes to print, postage and mailing, customers often ask ‘Can I just go direct to the supplier?’. While you certainly can organise the job yourself, there are a number of reasons why you might prefer to consider print management and procurement services.
Trusted relationships
Our long-standing relationships with suppliers mean we have a ready-and-waiting, trusted network of professionals across the UK and Europe that we can go to bring your job to life.
Greater choice of suppliers
Despite the challenges facing the UK print industry, we’re proud to say we can still offer plenty of choice when it comes to print, postage and mailing.
No need to navigate technicalities alone
Why brush up on print jargon, when you can let us take care of it? Between us, there’s very little our experienced team don’t know about print, so we’re expertly placed to carry out the job efficiently and source services on your behalf.
Always looking for new partnerships
The contacts on our supplier list are there for a reason. We trust them to do a brilliant job. But our procurement team is constantly on the lookout for new links and partnerships that will help us offer innovative solutions and dynamic marketing to our customers.
Reduce your workload
Free up more time for other pressing projects, by letting us take care of your print procurement. Rather than spending time researching the best suppliers, we’re likely to know exactly where to look and can steer you in the right direction from the start.
“I’m always on the lookout for new suppliers, particularly those that can offer something different or improve the process from a technical or logistical perspective.”
Caroline Varley, Commercial Director, Eight Plus
Print tenders and bid management
Making sense of lots of quotes can be time-consuming – and even downright confusing if you’re not fully au fait with the ins and outs of the print industry – which is why we offer bid management for customers.
As bids – or quotes – come in for printing jobs and tenders, we’ll review each one, ensuring it fulfils your needs. Once we’ve collated the bids, we’ll present them back to you, offering feedback on each one and suggesting why some suppliers may be preferable to others, according to the technicalities of your job.
