The firms are promoting Print2Post as an alternative to one-stop-shops for direct marketers, offering shared expertise in print and mail rather than outsourcing one of the elements. Print2Post is targeting specific sectors, including agencies and financial services.

Lee Maher, director of commercial affairs at County Durham-based mailing house MetroMail, said: "The key thing that makes this different is that we have the ability to do the whole job. Usually it would be outsourced and the criteria used to select a company would be price or location, which dont meet the customers needs."

Print management specialist Bridge Direct approached MetroMail last year and began trialling its service in September.

Bridge Direct account manager Phil Shaw said: "Weve been working very closely with a client in the travel sector polishing our service. And we have developed a number of other customers who can profit from our understanding of the individual processes and procedures."

The companies hope to improve stock management between print and mail production, as well as improve cost control and reduce risk through closer communications.

Bridge Direct and MetroMails shared customer base includes the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Unisys.

To mark the launch of Print2Post, the companies were offering visitors to this weeks International Direct Marketing Fair the opportunity to win 1m free mailings, worth an estimated 12,000.

To win the "Who Wants to be a Mailionaire" competition, contestants had to correctly answer 12 multiple-choice questions.

Story by Rachel Barnes