2 March 2010
APS Secures Scottish Government Print Management Contract
Following a competitive tender process, APS Group has secured a contract from the Scottish Government for the supply of design, print, publishing and associated services. APS can now confirm the new contract win, which will run for an initial period of two years, following a statutory 13-day standstill period.
APS Group Scotland Ltd will manage and deliver all aspects of the contract from a new APS Document Management and Operations Centre in Edinburgh. This new site will incorporate account management personnel; a publishing and bibliographic management team; digital printing and production; digital copying, scanning and print-on-demand; storage; and design and artwork studios.
The model APS intends to operate will involve working in close collaboration with a number of Scottish agencies as well as print manufacturers and other SME suppliers throughout Scotland, with whom APS has excellent relations. Personnel within its operations centre will be drawn from the Scottish labour market.
Allan Doyle, MD of APS Scotland said: “This is great news for APS and great news for Scotland. As a direct result of this contract win we will invest significantly in our infrastructure. As a result of this new contract we will secure a number of new jobs in Scotland both at APS and amongst our SME supplier partners.
“Our aim is to provide the best possible service to our clients and we are very much looking forward to delivering on our promises to the Scottish Government and its Collaborative Partners.”
APS is an experienced provider of print management services within the UK. The company was first registered in 1961 and has been operating in Scotland since 2002. The company employs some 497 staff at ten national and regional centres. The infrastructure, workflow methodology and the intellectual knowledge required to provide a full print management solution will be the one already deployed very successfully by APS, amongst its other UK customers.
APS provides food for thought!
Hearts footballers Gordon Smith (left) and Scott Robinson have given a kick-start
to a new healthy-eating project being sponsored by APS Group.
APS is the latest company to support the AEGON UK breakfast club initiative in Edinburgh which aims to help to make a difference to the lives of thousands of the city’s primary school children.
The initiative is a three-way partnership between the Heart of Midlothian Education and Community Trust, the City of Edinburgh Council and AEGON.
The aim is to develop breakfast club provision in every primary and special school in Edinburgh where a need is identified.
Currently there are 5 AEGON Breakfast Clubs operating across Edinburgh being sponsored by companies that include Edinburgh Airport, Merchiston Building Services, Sykes Global Services Ltd and KPMG.
APS’s sponsorship at Colinton Primary School will ensure that children have access to a free breakfast on each school day for the next three years and at the launch on 20 January the youngsters were provided with a large canvass to enable them to create their own colourful masterpiece depicting a nutritious breakfast.
Scottish Director, Allan Doyle said: “We are delighted to be able to support Colinton Primary School in this important venture which is organised by life and pensions company AEGON, one of our major customers.
“The Breakfast Club is a great way for APS to invest in a corporate and social responsibility programme and by doing so further demonstrates the company’s full commitment to its presence in Scotland. This is an extremely worthwhile scheme which not only ensures children can start the day with a proper meal but also can help them with social skills and improve attendance. We’ll be keeping in regular contact with the school and ensuring that if there are other ways that we can support the school and the children then we will do so.”
APS joins elite UK business group
APS Group is leading again and joins an elite group of just 27 UK companies and 52 worldwide holding BS 25999, the British Standard for Business Continuity.
APS achieved official certification just last week, only nine months after starting work on the process which Compliance Manager, Darren Ingham, describes as ‘an incredible achievement’
He says: “To gain this official accreditation in such a short time is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in producing the management system despite all the increased activity going on within the business at the same time.”
BS 25999 is taking off in a big way as more companies worldwide realise the importance of having a fully documented – and transparent – strategy to deal with unexpected disruption to their business.
The British Standard, which will become an international one, is designed to keep businesses going in the most challenging and unexpected circumstances.
“Waiting for the unexpected to happen is not an option at APS especially in these testing times and being able to protect the brand reputation of our customers as well as our own reputation is essential,” Darren adds. “Customers now require evidence of our contingency plans in the event of adversity such as IT failure, mass absenteeism for unforeseen reasons, failure in the supply chain, even relocation caused by fire or flood.
“While we have always had plans in place, we though the best course of action going forward as a responsible business was to build on these by following best practice.
“Business Continuity Management is based on the principle that it is the key responsibility of an organisation’s directors to ensure the continuation of its business operations at all times and this necessitates having suitable plans, process and practices in place to meet most eventualities.
“BS 25999 proves to our stakeholders that we have a framework in place that meets global accepted best practice and which will be subject to continual improvement through regular audit.”
APS buys Philip Myers Press
APS Group has bought the business and assets of Philip Myers Press (Holdings) Ltd
in a deal that will enable PMP to continue trading – and secure its long-term prospects.
Concerns over the future of the Warrington-based company were heightened last week after administrators Zolfo Cooper Europe were called in.
But in an agreement signed yesterday afternoon (15 September) APS, operating from headquarters in Cheadle Heath, Cheshire, has pledged financial commitment to support the business of Philip Myers with its customers now being assured its ‘business as usual’.
Administrator, Graham Wild, said: “We are delighted to announce that we have completed the sale of the business and assets of Philip Myers to APS Group. We would like to thank all employees, customers and suppliers for their support during the Administration and wish APS every success for the future.”
APS has enjoyed a long standing relationship with Philip Myers since 2003 and natural synergy has developed between the two over the years. Both companies share the same values and principles of openness, honesty and professionalism.
APS Managing Director, Nick Snelson, said: “We recognise the quality and the capability of this important supply chain partner. In these difficult and challenging times, it makes good business sense for organisations to come together in order to be able to develop new and value-added opportunities for all our customers.
“There is a good fit between our two companies and I have every confidence that the combined strengths of the service offering will add significant value for customers in the future. Philip Myers is highly regarded in the market as a quality operation with an excellent workforce that will bring additional strengths to the APS team.”
Kim Naylor, Managing Director of Philip Myers, added: “It has been an apprehensive time for everyone involved with the company, our employees, our customers and our suppliers and I am delighted that negotiations with APS have been concluded successfully.
“APS is a financially strong company with a good track record of winning new accounts and retaining existing ones which can give us confidence in the future.
APS achieves FSC certification
APS Group has gained the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Chain-of-Custody certification as part of its ongoing commitment to social responsibility.
At the end of the review, assessors complimented us on having ‘some of the best internal processes seen’ and which will now be subject to a yearly audit.
“APS takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously and 90% of the in-house procedures we had been operating for some time matched what was required for official certification, Struan Slater, Purchasing Manager, said. “Becoming an FSC-certified organisation proves to our clients that the paper we use originates from well-managed forests, ones that are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable.
“Consumers in growing numbers are seeking evidence of environmentally sound business practices and going forward, this certification will help our customers to make educated environmental choices about the paper they chose for their print. “They will be able to use the FSC or PEFC logo on any material they produce that is printed on certified papers.”
MD wins regional Entrepreneur of the Year award
Nick Snelson, APS Group’s managing director, has been named an Ernst & Young North and Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 regional winner
At an award ceremony held in Manchester on Tuesday (23 June) judges said: “Nick has used technology and product innovation to create individuality for customers and in turn grown market share. APS is a sustainable solid business model with a very strong balance sheet.”
He said: “I am delighted to accept this award which is for all the people working at APS who have contributed to our success.”
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognises the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement.
As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognising them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.
Independent judging panel
The North and Midlands independent judging panel 2009 included: Les Tench, non-executive chairman of Sheffield-based SIG Plc – international supplier to the construction, building and industrial markets. Other judges include: Ian Butcher, non-executive director of Redhall Group Plc; Michael Humphrey, chief executive of Croda International; Sir Mike Darrington, non executive director of Greggs Plc; John Brown, non executive chairman of Norcros plc; Carl Wormald, director at Lloyds TSB Development Capital; Matthew Riley, chief executive of Daisy Communications Ltd and former Entrepreneur of the Year winner; Vanda Murray, Deputy Chairman of NWDA and non-executive director of Carillion Plc.
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Keeping our eye on the ball!
There are very few jobs where employees are actively encouraged to watch sport on television…. But keeping an eye on the tennis at Edgbaston, Queens in London and again at Eastbourne was a prerequisite for some of our account management and studio staff.
APS Group is managing promotional literature – everything from daily programmes to ticket wallets, hospitality badges and folders – for the Lawn Tennis Association.
Account managers and studio artworkers burnt the midnight oil as they raced against the clock, after evening play had finished, to ensure that all the material required for the following day’s events was delivered on time.
APS’s new digital asset system proved to be a real helping hand and ensured that the right file was always used in the right document. The main benefit of the system is that everyone involved in the production process – from photographers and copywriters through to printers – had access to the same information which simplified what could have been a very complex job.
Using a unique log on, Getty Images uploaded its pictures and copywriters uploaded their articles on to the APS Server to enable artwork to be produced in pdf format for approval by the Lawn Tennis Association - all before the hundreds of thousands of programmes were printed throughout the night in time for the opening of the tournaments.
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