Conformer Expansion Products

The Print Professional team congratulates everyone who participated in this year’s design contest for their creativity and ingenuity. It was exciting to receive new entries in the mail each day, and to see how industry professionals used their talent and supply chain expertise to deliver effective, high-quality solutions. With loupes in hand, a distinguished panel of judges from North American Publishing Company, Philadelphia, evaluated entries based on print quality, technical achievement and the degree to which a solution satisfied the intended application. They were so impressed with the submissions, that in addition to designating winners in the various categories, the judges felt compelled

The latest round of United States Postal Service (USPS) rate hikes is hitting companies harder than many expected, especially during difficult economic times. The newest postage increases deal an even bigger financial blow to companies that have not shifted to automation-friendly packaging. It’s a signal to businesses to move toward packages that are automation friendly or face skyrocketing costs for postage. The already large price gap between automated mail, like letters and flats, and non-automated parcels will widen even further. The Conformer Media Mailer is the first package to pass the rigors of the USPS automation tests. The mailer not only slashes postage

Bob Makofsky, general manager for Conformer Expansion Products (www.conformerinc.com), Great Neck, N.Y. offers insights and advice to help nonprofits navigate the new postal regulations. The seven percent increase in standard mail rates is easy enough to understand, but in my conversations with both nonprofit and business executives, I’ve found that many don’t understand the new “shape-based” system. Not surprising, since the new classifications are complex and require a whole new way of thinking about how you package premiums, calendars, annual reports and other large pieces. While you may be confused about the new system, the effect on your budget is crystal clear. And

The responsibility for multifaceted mailroom expenses can be distributed across several departments, with each managing a separate budget. Analyzing and controlling total costs require a cooperative, holistic approach. Organizations must study the entire process, including the pieces to be mailed, the purchase and storage of mailing supplies and the costs of preparing and shipping mail pieces. Traditionally, businesses have focused on shipping supplies as an area to trim. Now, shape-based postage has changed the situation to some extent by enabling businesses to choose more efficient packaging to minimize postage expenses. Yet businesses must also look at the costs of fulfillment, freight and storage and, for a

On May 14, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will enact shape-based postage. For the first time, postage rates will reflect the fact that certain types of mail require higher processing costs. First-class mail will see an average increase of 7 percent across the board, but postage rates for certain classes of mail—flats and parcels—will rise as much as 40 percent to 60 percent. However, the new system includes pricing incentives to encourage mailing efficiency, giving businesses an unprecedented opportunity to reduce the impact of the new pricing system. Bob Makofsky, general manager for Conformer Expansion Products, Great Neck, N.Y., pointed out that

For the first time ever, the USPS is implementing a shape-based mailing rate system. The current weight-based system fails to address the fact that certain types of mail simply cost more to process—usually because they require human handling. On May 14, postage rates for certain classes of mail, such as flats and parcels, will rise as much as 40 percent to 60 percent. However, the new system does offer significant price incentives that reward efficient, automation-friendly packaging. Bob Makofsky, president of Conformer Expansion Products, Great Neck, N.Y., offers the following tips to take advantage of the incentives while tackling shape-based postal rates: 1. Educate

Conformer Expansion Envelopes Benefit Insurance Company BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York has switched to Conformer Expansion Envelopes from Conformer Expansion Products, Greatneck, N.Y., to mail its contract member guides. With the former 9x12" version, workers were having difficulty manually inserting materials into the envelopes, due in part to a poorly-designed address block that also partially obscured addresses on packets. They were only completing 75 packets—containing manually-matched signature booklets and contracts—per hour. With the Conformer Expansion Envelope, packet completion has increased to 120 packets per hour, for a 60 percent jump in productivity. The versatile 9-3/8x12" patented Conformer Expansion Envelope has a

Customer need and supplier innovation converge with profitable results for distributors FROM VALUABLE basics—such as the fact that banks and credit unions do not co-mingle their languages—to the latest in anti-counterfeiting techniques, suppliers are a valuable source of information for distributors either looking to get started in the financial market or interested in increasing existing selling opportunities. "Distributors new to the market need to understand there is a separation between a bank and a credit union. They are two different channels," remarked Jim Staricha, national sales manager for Northstar, a division of Ennis located in Brooklyn Park, Minn. "For example, banks have

Englewood, Colorado-based Cenveo is the first envelope licensee of Conformer Expansion Products, Great Neck, N.Y., to offer envelopes that expand to fit its contents. "Prior to the Conformer Expansion Envelope solution, mailing bulk statements or other items measuring more than approximately 1/4" required a gusseted envelope," explained Murray Rundle, marketing manager at Cenveo's Supremex location, Toronto. "Gusseted envelopes are more costly, lack presentation appeal and do not perform as well as Conformer Expansion Envelopes. We expect customers to see significant savings." Conformer Expansion Products has granted Cenveo a license to manufacture, use and sell envelope products with its trademarked name exclusively in Canada,