Opus Group has partnered with a famous UK book printer in a deal that will mean faster turnarounds and lower costs.

Clays has joined the Content Delivery Alliance, an international print and distribution partnership that also features Opus in the Asia-Pacific and Sheridan Group in North America.

Clays is a division of UK giant St Ives Group and claims to produce 180 million books per year.

Opus chief executive Cliff Brigstocke said the alliance "provides a true solution for regional and global publishing customers".

[Related: Opus forms software alliance]

"It is part of the structural change of the industry globally, with the alliance providing the ability to produce close to the client base," he told ProPrint.

"The new model revolves around the total cost of ownership approach: speed to market, lower freight costs, lower storage costs and low to nil obsolescence."

The alliance partners have a combined turnover of $517 million. Opus posted revenue of $97.2 million in 2012-13. Sheridan has a turnover of US$267 million ($292 million), according to Hoovers, while Clays has a turnover of £71 million ($128 million), according to ProPrint's UK partner title, PrintWeek.

Clays managing director Kate McFarlane said the London-based printer was delighted to join the alliance.

"We have, for many years, worked closely with our publishing customers to develop the most effective means of supplying books to retail and other outlets," she said.

"To extend this offering to international markets is the next logical step for us and the Content Delivery Alliance partnership is a great cultural fit."

Clays has replaced Hobbs The Printers as the alliance's European partner.

[Related: Ups and downs of Opus]

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