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The Mailing People has made a trio of investments including new equipment and the installation of solar panels, aiming to cut energy consumption and become more environmentally friendly
The Mailing People (TMP), a subsidiary of commercial printer, Bishops Printers, has carried out a trio of investments designed to cut energy consumption, improve operational efficiency, and support clients seeking greener marketing solutions.
As part of these investments, the mailing house has collaborated with Konica Minolta, purchasing a mono AccurioPress 6272P press and a colour AccurioPress C12000e press for its digital print room.
The AccurioPress solutions are designed with sustainability in mind. Both machines utilise Konica Minolta’s Simitri HD polymerised toner, which utilises lower fusing temperatures to reduce energy consumption. The toner is also designed to be easily ‘de-inkable’, aiming to aid in paper recycling and reduce water pollution.
The 6272P is designed to offer high mono production speed, with up to 272 A4 images and up to 156 A3 images per minute. The C12000e was purchased in part for its inline booklet finishing capabilities for fully variable stitched books, which TMP reports will cut turnaround times and manual handling.
The decision marks a departure from the firm’s long-standing relationship with Xerox, prompted by the phasing out of key machines in the Nuvera range. In a statement about the machine investment, TMP say that the C12000e “outperforms the previous Versant 3100 on every front.”
Managing director of TMP, Kristian Harrington, says: “We spent over six months assessing the market. Our criteria was strict: speed, quality, and the ability to support both mono and colour production without compromising on efficiency.
“Konica Minolta ticked every box and more. The level of service and partnership was the final deciding factor in our move to Konica Minolta. They have a really good understanding of our challenges and printing requirements both now and in the future.”
The presses now run entirely on solar energy, thanks to an array of almost 100 panels installed by The Logical Group in late March. With ideal weather, the system reportedly allows TMP to generate up to 80% of its own electricity, reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.
The panels were installed alongside a live dashboard which provides up-to-date data on the amount of energy being generated and stored by the solar panels.
Explaining the collaboration, Dave Pollinger, director of The Logical Group says: “We were delighted to be asked by Kristian and his team to look at how we could not only reduce the site’s energy consumption, but also the carbon emissions associated with that energy use.
“After reviewing the site’s activities, it was agreed solar was the best option to achieve this. With quick paybacks and instant carbon reduction, the solution met all of Kristians requirements. We’re delighted everyone at The Mailing People is pleased with the solution – and we completely understand the obsession with the live dashboard!”
Rounding off the triple investment was the purchase of a Sitma W1150 10 paper wrap machine, which is able to wrap a range of items in 90gsm white paper, replacing traditional plastic wrap for a variety of jobs.
With capacity for A5 to A4 packs up to 25mm thick and offering inline variable mono print, the machine was purchased to add a new sustainable mailing option to TMP’s toolkit.
Harrington adds: “Our customers want more sustainable solutions without compromising on quality or cost-effectiveness. This machine means we can say yes to that more often, and back it up with performance.”
