Creating £160,000 in Print Cost Savings for King’s College

The Challenge

King’s College London’s print and marketing operations were spread across multiple channels:

• In-house printing on desktop devices.
• A wide range of digital and litho print products sourced by various departments.
• Marketing and corporate materials procured independently across faculties.

This approach led to several pain points:

• Fragmented supply chain: No unified governance for supplier selection.
• Inefficiencies: Verbal orders and inconsistent purchasing processes caused delays and excess costs.
• Brand inconsistency: Materials lacked standardisation in design and quality.
• High internal costs: Time-consuming sourcing, project management, and administration.

King’s needed a solution to address these issues while delivering substantial cost savings and enhancing the effectiveness of their marketing materials.

The Solution

King’s College London launched a plan to streamline its print operations by:

• Appointing a consolidated framework of print suppliers across six categories, including stationery, digital print, litho, and wide-format printing.
• Introducing Webmart as a print management partner with expertise in the higher education sector.
• Implementing bespoke software developed by Webmart to centralise ordering and streamline processes.

Key Actions:

Consolidated Supply Chain:
A select roster of high-performing suppliers ensured competitive pricing and enhanced service flexibility.

Software Implementation:
This browser-based platform connected King’s staff with suppliers, standardised order processing, and provided real-time visibility into spending and project progress.

Innovation and Compliance:
Product designs and specifications were standardised for greater brand consistency while maintaining flexibility for creative projects.