Plastic Card Mailing Services

the id card business 'tailor makes' plastic card mailing services for clients requiring large annual mailings of membership cards and ID plastic cards. the id card business utilises some of the most technically advanced equipment available for the automatic insertion and enclosing of mail pieces - including an extensive range of Match & Mount systems.

ENCLOSING

The Standard range of machines are able to enclose up to six items in a C5 or C4 wallet.

For matched mailings, the id card business adds discreet OCR (Optical Character Recognition) marks which are read in conjunction with the enclosing machines to match up to four personalised pieces including a closed-face envelope.

FOLDING

A4 to A5 or half A4
A3 to A6 + variations in between
A3 cross folding to A5 or half A4
On-line trimming
On-line perforating

MATCH MOUNTING

The match mounting routines are performed by four high-speed systems. The personalised letterhead is fed down the transport system whereby Camera 1 verifies the letterhead identity by reading the laser-printed batch and card/membership number. The personalised cards are stacked in a hopper in the same sequence as the lasered letters. The match mounting systems read the encoded data within the magnetic stripe or the card details and verify the match. The corresponding card is then mounted to the letterhead using easy peel latex or hot melt glue. The card can be positioned almost anywhere on the carrier/document. Simultaneously, the card can be ink jet personalised with all the required detail. As a final check Camera 2 identifies the card via the characters printed on the card and verifies this to the information given by Camera 1 and the magnetic stripe reading. This fulfilment procedure ensures a perfect match and a second check (that the encoded information on the card corresponds to the flat printing).

If the system is matching a "Thermally" printed card to the lasered letter the ink jetting routine is redundant. All the other processes still remain.

Once the card has been mounted, the system will automatically fold the carrier. The type of fold required is obviously subject to the size of the envelope.

Various items can be matched and affixed, and the carriers themselves can be utilised as integrated mailing pieces. They can be scored, edge-glued and folded to create a fully sealed piece which finally has the recipient's name printed onto the outside.

GUILLOTINING

Sheeting continuous stationery.

CENTRE SLIT & MERGE

From continuous stationery to centre slit, trim off sprockets, merge, cut & fold as matched nested pair e.g. Letter/application.

TIP-ON GLUE APPLICATION

Tip-on one item onto another.
Example - one small mailer onto larger mailer or a card onto an envelope pack. (Please ask for samples).

STAMPING & CANCELLING

Affixing postage stamps and cancelling the stamp with a frank to enable the client to claim a Royal Mail discount, if applicable.

KEY POINTS

Check outer envelope window positioning for finished folded item.

Machines feed folded edge first to bottom of outer envelope but may feed open edge first subject to test.

MACHINE ENCLOSING

C6 to C5 enclosing
C4 to 220 square enclosing
Up to 7 inserts
On-line labelling
On-line mailsorting
Min insert width 130mm

HAND ENCLOSING

Polythene enclosing
Collation, merging
Matching multi-personalised
Presentation packs
Bag labelling
Mailsorting
Stamp affixing

MACHINE ENCLOSING

Ensure required 15mm total side clearance between largest insert and outer envelope.

Are envelopes machinable?

Allow sufficient overs of inserts and envelopes, usually 3% - 5%.

Ensure the mailsort number is visible through the window aperture of the outer envelope.

Method to mail outer envelopes e.g. Printed, PPI, stamped or franked.