High-tech features help streamline mail process

By BY DAMON FRANCIS -- Purchasing, 10/19/2000

The leading manufacturers of mailing systems have produced a host of new products intent on reducing the amount of tedious and oftentimes error-prone manual participation

of mailroom professionals. Ascom Hasler, Neopost, Francotyp-Postalia and Pitney Bowes have developed innovative systems: Each has new high-tech features to streamline the mailing process.

Ascom Bows Internet-ready systems

Weighing in motion, which Ascom has trademarked as "Synchronous Weighing," is Ascom's newest high-tech feature in the mailing industry. When this new technology is combined with a complete mail-center system-including Internet links, usps Delivery Confirmation, and a fully networkable space-saving PC with a full-color touch screen-the result is InteliTouch.

This mailing system enables instant rate calculation while mail is being automatically transported, and by using iMCM, it links a mail center to the Internet and to the usps' new Delivery Confirmation service and allows users to select carriers and services.

During mail transport the weighing platform instantly inputs accurate weight to the postage meter which sets the correct postage values or shipping rates. The system includes an exclusive, full-color, Internet-ready, touch-screen, space-saver PC that contains Ascom's iMCM Mail Management System which provides complete control over the weighing, rating, processing and accounting of all outbound mail and parcels.

For postage accounting, InteliTouch permits chargeback information to be sent via a user's network in a variety of file formats including Word, Excel, Lotus, odbc, ascii and html for posting as an intranet Web page. The remote scale enables "differential weighing" for processing mail that is too large for the Synchronous Weighing function. The label printer will produce all required labels for usps and other common carriers.

Network capabilities are built in, and one database can serve multiple operating units. Custom reports are available using Crystal Reports. Federal Express airbills and other carrier labels are automatically printed. In addition, InteliTouch is certified for UPS Online compliance and manifesting.

Using Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation, InteliTouch has capability to track mail. It includes printing the Firm Mailer Book for Certified and Registered mail, a usps requirement. InteliTouch prints Form 3877, "Firm Mailer Book," so there is no longer a need for manual entry.

The system was developed specifically for the Windows 95/98/NT operating system so even new employees will be able to quickly learn and use Ascom's iMCM. To help them along, comprehensive "mini-movies," with sound, are built into the system and provide complete, interactive operating instructions. A complete user's manual is also integrated with the software.

Neopost's SA60 Direct Address Printing System

In August, Neopost Inc. introduced the SA60 Direct Address Printing System that has capability of processing up to 500,000 mailpieces per month for mid- to high-volume mailers. The system standardizes (cass) and presorts (pave) the mailer's database based on usps regulations. It also prints addresses and barcodes directly onto the mailpiece, which eliminates the task of manually affixing address labels.

Neopost's SA60 Direct Address Printing System includes an ink-jet printer especially designed for printing names and addresses onto a variety of mailpieces, and Neopost Business Mailer Software, which is cass and pave certified by the usps. The SA60 address printer features Hewlett-Packard technology that can print up to nine lines in a single pass at up to 600 dpi. This allows for a maximum print speed of 36,000 pieces per hour.

Neopost Business Mailer software standardizes and corrects customer address records based on usps regulations for cass certification. It then checks for and allows the removal of duplicate records, and presorts by zip code based on usps regulations for pave certification. It also includes an Internet-based fastforward Move Update to compare names and addresses with the usps National Change of Address files. The Software then sends the usps certified, presorted address records to the printer, which prints addresses and delivery-point barcodes to help qualify for maximum usps discounts.

Francotyp-Postalia's JetMail business class mailing system

Francotyp-Postalia, an international mailing systems supplier, has introduced JetMail, a business-class mailing system that uses a vertical feeder. JetMail handles all types of mail. Business users place mail into JetMail's system on its side instead of face down. A variety of bulky and odd-sized mail can be placed into the system. JetMail can process any catalog or oversized piece of mail up to nearly one-inch thick and any height, as well as regular business-sized envelopes.

JetMail includes an EZ Card accounting system that helps track postage cost by department. While one master user card provides access to all system functions and accounts, up to 99 individual accounts can be programmed and tied to individual user access cards. This feature provides complete security without the requirement that users memorize access or security codes. In addition, when it's time to refill JetMail's postage, users can download postage automatically via FP's exclusive teleset system and a self-dialing modem.

Pitney Bowes W680 AddressRight Printer

Also this summer, Pitney Bowes introduced the W680 envelope printer with full-color graphics capability.

This printer, intended for midvolume mailers, is the latest addition to the company's family of AddressRight Addressing Systems. The ability to print in color allows the W680 to print professional logos and promotional messages directly on envelopes, postcards and self-mailers.

A recent usps study estimates that up to 20% of advertising mail is thrown away unread, presumably because of its unprofessional appearance. The W680 is intended to combat the "junk mail" image by producing professional-looking mail. Instead of the labels often used for advertising mail, the W680 uses ink-jet technology to print addresses directly on envelopes. It can print graphics, return addresses and promotional messages in color on a range of materials to help improve direct-mail response rates.

The W680 can print in black (up to 600 DPI) or in color (up to 300 DPI) on material ranging from a 3.5-in. x 5-in. post card to a 12.75-in. x 13.5-in. envelope (up to 0.125-in. thickness). It can process up to 9,000 #10 envelopes per hour (three-line address in black) which makes it appropriate for midvolume mailing applications.

Using address data supplied by SmartMailer Software from Pitney Bowes, the W680 can print the appropriate Delivery Point Barcode with the Address, and this qualifies the mail for worksharing discount.