Salmat powers up for transpromo

Investment in new digital imaging technology gives Queensland essential mail generators the ability to better target consumers.

Major mail users such as the Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Optus and Telstra are now able to include more personalised marketing messages on their statements and invoices thanks to the installation of a high-speed Océ VS9710 monochrome digital printer. The machine at Salmat’s facility in Brisbane’s southwest has upgraded the company’s ability to produce transpromotional material for its major clients.

Weeks after the relocation of former HPA personnel and equipment into the Acacia Ridge location, the increase in capacity will see Queensland financial and telco customers getting more targeted offers from their suppliers. More than 40 million pages per month come out of the Queensland factory.

The installation is part of a wide-ranging consolidation and equipment review underway in Salmat in the months since the November 07 takeover of HPA. So far Queensland and WA have consolidated the two businesses into one location with Victoria next in line. Currently there are no plans to consolidate the two sites in Sydney.

The company is rationalising its fleets of Océ and Fuji Xerox equipment, the latter predominantly inherited from HPA. According to Evan Gray, production manager, laser printing at the Queensland plant, (pictured) the installation of the Océ VS9710 will see more cut sheet runs from the Fuji Xerox machines transferred to continuous feed. The new printer, which sits alongside a previously installed MICR-capable Océ7400, is capable of producing 330,000 documents per shift and has delivered ample spare capacity to the plant.

Salmat is encouraging its major mail users to take advantage of its technical ability to produce transpromo documents. According to David Besson, now managing director of Salmat Media Force (previously the guiding light of Salmat Business Force) Telstra is the most advanced in its use of transpromo thanks to its new core operating system.

Much of this comes from the three Fuji Xerox so-called Sugi printers (DocuColor 980) in the old HPA plants in Melbourne and Sydney. These machines produce 923 full-colour A4 sheets per minute.

“The people at Telstra really understand the value of using the technology,” he said. He predicts more customers will take advantage of the opportunity to include marketing offers on their essential mail documents as the technology improves.