By Cassandra Balentine
Part one of three
The latest printing and finishing tools are poised to reduce costs and/or improve efficiencies in direct mail environments.
“Doing more with less is the trend that has been in play for a long time now, so I don’t know if that makes it a fact of life, rather than a trend at this point,” offers William Longua, senior director, Digital Print Group, Quadient. “What changed recently is the major cost increases many sectors faced, which compounded the challenge. Not only did material and postage costs increase—which can be mitigated for service providers by passing along the increase to customers—but also most structural costs increased, which put more pressure on the bottom line. Add to that labor shortages and talent gaps and it has been a real challenge. Being able to produce more types of jobs with minimal labor and expertise on a single system allows mailers to be more agile and efficient.”
There are several opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency in direct mail environments. A few examples include digital printing, automated finishing, inline finishing, and software/integration. “Overall, the latest printing and finishing tools offer many opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency in direct mail environments. By investing in the latest technology and integrating it with software tools and workflows, print providers deliver higher quality, more personalized, and more cost-effective direct mail campaigns,” says Troy Shatus, president/CEO, Capital Mailing Equipment.
The latest digital printing and finishing technologies handle a broader range of media to reduce the weight and finished appearance of the mail piece, according to Kenneth Tucker, senior manager, marketing business development, Ricoh USA Inc. Also, modern tools are able to produce a wider range of smaller, pre-finished mail that can qualify for lower rates and have a lower overall production cost.
Digital printing technology enables print providers to produce high-quality, variable data print pieces in shorter runs and with faster turnaround times. “This technology reduces waste and eliminates the need for expensive setup costs, making it a more cost-effective and efficient option for direct mail campaigns. Also, the latest printing and finishing tools can integrate with data-driven personalization software to produce highly targeted and personalized direct mail pieces. This technology can significantly improve response rates and return on investment for direct mail campaigns, reducing costs and increasing efficiency in the process,” states Morgan DiGiorgio, SVP sales and marketing, DirectMail 2.0.
Latest Advancements
Several advancements in printing and finishing equipment target opportunities for direct mail.
For digital print environments focused on direct mail, Shatus sees many trends in printing and finishing equipment specifically designed to improve the quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of direct mail campaigns.
“Improvements in mailing inserting technology are the first line of defense,” says Margaret Curry, national manager, major accounts and strategic alliances, RISO, Inc. “Creating and printing mail pieces specifically with inkjet printers is our focus at RISO. Our technology allows for the use of a variety of paper weights so we run heavier or lighter stocks with a variety of densities. We can reduce or increase the ink coverage on the fly or fully automate it based on the mail piece.”
RISO also developed a mail wrapping finisher that allows up to six pages of inserts and variable data messaging on the inside and outside of the ‘envelope.’ “It works in conjunction with our full-color, high-speed cutsheet print engines. We’ve seen an uptick in interest in that solution specifically with our in-plant customers,” shares Curry.
Longua points out that new faster and more efficient monochrome and color inkjet systems are here and making gains in productivity, performance, profitability, and application range. “The new generation of inkjet systems for direct mail allows their users to produce more with less—more jobs in a week, more types of jobs for customers, and fewer resources to do it.”
InfoSeal develops equipment and form solutions, which have proven in real production environments to be efficient to process. “Our Pressure Seal products often have a higher response rate than typical envelope packages because they look official and have a large mailbox presence. One very effective solution is utilizing a large 24-inch format yielding two individual letter-sized inserts within the self mailer while eliminating the envelope.”
David Yost, GM, InfoSeal, says the company recently launched new sealing equipment, which doubles the production for preparing mail. The two wide, inline sealer, follows most folders that many direct mailers already own and requires a relatively small investment. This sealer can process documents up to 17 inches wide. Its eight sealing rollers provide a secure seal for confidential applications where a traditional presser may not provide a secure seal. “Processing up to 80,000 letter size mail pieces per hour changes the dynamics of preparing mail,” asserts Yost.
Lance Martin, VP, marketing, MBO America & Komori America, feels that achieving the conversion is more challenging than ever given today’s barrage media options, all grabbing for attention. “Embellishment of the direct mail piece goes beyond personalization with the addition of unique visual or tactile presentation. Speaking to its product line, MBOA has introduced a UV and/or aqueous coating (Model FC23) to its finishing system portfolio. These units allow inline additions of various coatings such as gloss, matte, satin, soft touch, and more to inkjet webs. Since the modules are added inline with the press or the finishing system, impact to delivery time and cost is minimal.”
Equipment Gains
The latest advancements in printing and finishing help mailers produce more effective graphics with fewer resources and at lower volumes.
Jul2023, DPS Magazine
