Mailing/Fulfillment - Postal Trends

WASHINGTON, DC—The latest U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rate increase is confronting mailers, and this time there are no unpleasant surprises. For the post office, however, the news was not so comforting. As promised by the postal reform legislation passed in late 2006, the first increase under the new rules did not exceed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation. The increases fall in the 2.9 percent range and will take effect May 12. However, the USPS has been struggling. It reported that mail volume was down 3 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2008. First Class volume was down 3.9 percent, while

MONTRÉAL—2/13/2008—Quebecor World Logistics (TSX: IQW) is the first in the industry to offer its customers mixed-class co-mail that combines Periodical and Standard class mail pieces into a single offline co-mail offering. This gives our customers improved flexibility of a pool but also the industry’s quickest turn-around time, unattainable in a single class co-mail run. The mixed-class, short-run pool conducted at Quebecor World Logistics’ Bolingbrook, IL co-mail facility will now become part of QWL’s superior co-mail process, creating enhanced value to Quebecor World’s quality print product. Customers using Quebecor World Logistics’ mixed class co-mail solutions in combination with additional mailing optimization programs are able to

RIDICULOUS AS it may seem, database management has been making national news in 2008. Unfortunately, and more precisely, data mismanagement has grabbed some headlines. For the second time in a little more than a year, the good citizens of Wisconsin have seen their personal information—in the form of social security numbers—left flapping in the breeze of a government mailing. Printers in both cases found themselves sharing in the blame, and the expense, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars for credit monitoring services out of recipient fears concerning identity theft. The threat, real albeit extremely remote, underscores the importance of the role

Few industries engage in the kind of symbiotic relation-ship shared by the graphic arts industry and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Consider that, at some point, the majority of printed products are mailed. At the same time, the postal system relies on the printing industry to supply much of its mail volume. The fate of each player depends in large part on the well-being of the other. In this context, the signing of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) in December 2006 was beneficial for the graphic arts industry. It was a move that spelled reform for the postal system that industry

WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors announced that any new postal rate increase will be consistent with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006. In using the Postal Regulatory Commission’s new regulations for setting future rates, price increases will be capped at the rate of inflation. The Board of Governors had the option of filing one more rate case under the regulations that had been in place since 1971, but voted to proceed with the new pricing regulations. “Mailers around the country should be elated that the antiquated, costly and adversarial rate case proceedings are now nothing more than a part of

WASHINGTON, DC—November 21, 2007—Yesterday, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), in a 5-1 vote, determined that Coated Free Sheet (CFS) paper imports from China, Indonesia, and Korea were not injuring nor threatening to injure the domestic industry. As a result, the anti-dumping and countervailing duties previously announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) will not be imposed on CFS from these countries, and any deposits that have been collected will be refunded. The ITC vote terminates the year-long investigation. The investigation was initiated in 2006 by one U.S.-based paper supplier, NewPage Corporation; the industry as a whole did not petition for this investigation. The

STAMFORD, CT—Mail services specialist Pitney Bowes will reduce its workforce by about 4 percent, or roughly 1,500 jobs, as it continues its quest to provide digital, networked and downloadable products.Pitney Bowes plans to write off inventory and lease residuals of older equipment that it will quit selling, and will take a charge of between $300…

Mail Moves America is the name of a new broad-based coalition of mailing and fulfillment industry related companies and associations, initially formed for the purpose of countering efforts to curtail, if not eliminate, mail delivery of direct commercial communication. But the phrase “Mail Moves America” is far more than that; it is quite simply the literal description of a key structural component of the American economy. Despite the growth of electronic communications, the U.S. mail remains a critical means by which to exchange information and conduct commerce for over 146 million separate American households, businesses and nonprofit organizations. And, since advertising mail currently provides

ROCHESTER, NY—BCC Software, a BÖWE BELL + HOWELL company and a leading developer of high-performance mailing technology solutions, will promote the company’s latest innovations to printing and mailing industry leaders at the Graph Expo, Sept 9-12 in Chicago, IL. BCC’s booth (#2286 in the Mailing & Fulfillment Area of McCormick Place) will be an essential destination for Graph Expo attendees to learn about new and state-of-the-art mailing software and hardware products. Featured offerings at the show will include: Mail Manager 2010, BCC’s signature mail preparation solution, USPS® certified to deliver top encoding and presorting performance, and fully compliant with all recent Postal Service™ rate and regulation

CHICAGO—Sept. 4, 2007—BÖWE BELL + HOWELL has a unique “live and connected” demonstration in store for attendees of GRAPH EXPO 2007. The company is partnering with leading finishing, printing, sorting and software application suppliers at the tradeshow to demonstrate the real-time interconnectivity of equipment through the BÖWE One™ software suite. Some of the vendors participating in the Connectivity Showcase include BCC Software, Buskro, Duplo USA, Eastman Kodak, Lasermax Roll Systems, MegaSpirea International, Nipson, Paragon, RISO, Rollem International, Sefas Innovations, Solimar Systems, Taneum, Window Book and Xerox Corp. The Connectivity Showcase will be prominently featured in BÖWE BELL + HOWELL’s booth – No. 600, located