By installing mail addressing equipment, in-plants can offer even more services to their customers.

By Leah Genuario

IN-PLANTS WITH mail imaging capabilities do more than address their customers’ mail; they offer their clients added convenience and improved service, which ultimately leads to satisfied customers.

“The main advantage is that one of our departments can come to us, hand the project to us and they are done. We address it, tab it, fold it and mail it. We take care of it all,” says Dwayne Weaver, manager of campus mail at the University of Georgia, in Athens, Ga.

Today’s mail imaging equipment can go way beyond simple addressing. Some in-plants are equipped to print colors, graphics and a variety of fonts and type sizes—value-added services that further benefit customers. Below is a look at several university in-plants that have invested in mail imaging equipment.

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Mich.
MAILING EQUIPMENT: Kirk-Rudy NetJet
OPERATIONS MANAGER: Dennis Seybert

Although MSU has only been running its Kirk-Rudy NetJet for a short time, Dennis Seybert couldn’t be more pleased with initial results. The new machine, which included an upgrade to HP print heads, instantly ramped up the in-plant’s addressing capabilities. The unit was put to work almost immediately after arrival.

“We started producing live jobs on the second day the machine was here. Our operators were running it while they were still being trained,” Seybert comments. “The machine was installed last week and we have already shipped 20 jobs. That’s impressive.”

Seybert considers the plant a high-volume mail operation, mailing 500,000 to 550,000 pieces a month. The plant handles the bulk mailings of the university (several hundred pieces), often sending out marketing and communications materials.

The Importance of Color

Because it prints so many promotional pieces, the in-plant sought out mailing equipment that would print color.

“We have customers that do mailings where they are trying to get seminars filled up with seats,” Seybert notes. “Color is important to them because they want to be able to add ‘Early Bird Special’ or something like that in bold red font. We weren’t able to do that before.”

In addition to generic colors, the in-plant will soon be equipped to print the university’s signature 341 Green, another bonus for customers.

The Kirk-Rudy NetJet comes with other important features. Seybert notes its ability to print different type sizes and fonts. For example, during testing the team was able to print a four-point font and a 24-point font on the same piece. This is an improvement from its previous machine, which only printed 10-point type and 12-point type in one font.

A final benefit of the Kirk-Rudy NetJet is that it eliminates the need for floppy disks. The new device is networked, allowing files to be sent directly.

“On the old machine, it was pretty much one person creating the disk and one person working the machine,” says Seybert. “Now, I can have anyone in the building [with knowledge of front ends] create the file and send it to the machine. We are not dependent on one person and it saves time as well.”

California State University
Sacramento
MAILING EQUIPMENT: Rena XPS-90
MAIL SERVICE SUPERVISOR: Rich Filson

Mail Service’s purchase of a Rena XPS-90 several years ago marked the first time the university offered mail addressing capabilities on campus. Rich Filson says the plant was looking for a tabletop machine that could fulfill its modest needs at the time.

The first year the machine addressed 97,000 pieces. Since then, however, the mailing operation has grown considerably. Last fiscal year, the in-plant mailed 227,000 pieces. This year, it has already surpassed that number with five months to go in its fiscal year.

“Each year, our numbers have kept on growing in terms of number of pieces, so we are at the point that we are ready to upgrade our equipment. We’d still keep the Rena as a back up,” says Filson.

The Rena XPS-90 offers several features in addition to basic addressing. With six HP print heads, operators are able to add additional phrases such as, ‘Room Change’ or ‘See You at the Conference.’ The unit is also capable of printing images, indicias and return addresses, although it does not print color.

Aside from the XPS-90’s added services, Filson also appreciates its easy setup, although he does mention one drawback with the machine. The unit is not equipped with a heater, and he has had problems with smudging on coated stock.

“We have found other ways around it,” Filson quips. “What we have done is purchased halogen lamps.”

To meet its current and future needs, Filson is shopping for a new unit that is easy to use, easy to maintain and comes with a heater. The ability to print graphics and indicias would also be a plus.

Although some university shops seek units that can also print color, Filson does not see this as a necessity.

“At this time, we only do black. We haven’t had a need for color. Nobody has requested it,” he says.

Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa
MAILING EQUIPMENT: Marconi/Video