Transpromo gets boost from Pitney Bowes

Mail equipment giant Pitney Bowes is integrating the IntelliJet printing system into its high-speed transactional print and mail solutions.

 

Pitney Bowes will deliver the inkjet digital printing system into the specific essential mailing house markets where it is the dominant player globally. The system uses the new HP T300 inkjet press integrated into the company’s paper and mail handling technology.

The entry of the US$6.3 billion technology leader into the transpromo sector is likely to boost the channel. Putting personalised marketing messages on essential mail, such as statements and bills, is being promoted as the next big DM channel. However, despite the promotion of the technology, mainly by digital print engine manufacturers and organisations such as Australia Post, it has proved slow to develop. Marketing managers are reluctant, or more likely impotent in the face of opposition from the financial controllers within corporations, who resist mixing marketing and financial communications. However, transpromo is steadily increasing its position as a valuable tool in the battle for consumers’ attention. In the local Australian market, Salmat is recognised as the leader in making use of the personalised essential mail marketing. It has pioneered the enhancement of mail communication from some of the largest financial and telco corporations utilising three high-speed Fuji Xerox laser printers.

Pitney Bowes will sell the IntelliJet system only into the transpromo market, leaving digital DM, books and newspaper printing to HP. Because the high-volume mail provider has access to the wider mailing house sector, it is well positioned to drive the uptake of the technology. At an investment cost of up to $3 million, there are limited opportunities for mailing houses in the local market to take on the system. Pitney Bowes will develop different solutions for more market segments in the future. It is promoting the system as delivering higher value to the billions of essential mail items sent through the mail every day.

“Directly selling, installing and supporting high-speed colour print and mail production systems is the next logical area for Pitney Bowes to continue to build out its customer communications solutions,” said Leslie Abi-Karam, VP mailstream solutions management.

The company has already sold one system to a major health care payment company in the USA, where a higher percentage of major corporations retain their mail production in-house.