Blue Star has won a $600,000 tender to manage the Agriculture Department’s print services for the rest of the year.

Australia’s third biggest printer will print forms and general collateral for use throughout the department – such as secured documentation, food grade labelling and other materials that might be used by importers and exporters – as well as items and kits that would be used for management quarantine matters; marketing collateral; and stationery from its Silverwater, NSW facility.

It will also provide design, print production, inventory management, warehousing, and online ordering services as part of Blue Star’s contract management offerings. The contract begins this month and lasts until December 31.

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Print and direct mail general manager Matt Aitken says the contract is a renewal of its seven-year relationship with the department that started when the company bought McMillan Print and took on its clients.

“This is an example of our continuing commitment to the Canberra market and the strength of our contract management services,” he says.

“We have similar contracts with a number of government departments that are very important to our business.”

While Blue Star sold its commercial printing operations in Canberra to Opus last year, it continues to maintain a team of salesmen and account managers to service print contracts with government departments and other clients, and to pursue new business.

Aitken says print management services, which provide holistic printing and related services to clients from one place, make up one third of Blue Star’s business and the company hopes that proportion will grow.

“It’s an extremely important part of our future growth plans – it is key to both tomorrow and today’s strategy,” he says.

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