J&Q Converts All Direct Mail Production to High-Speed Color Inkjet

Posted on August 21, 2019 by
J&Q’s personalization department is adding a third Screen Truepress High-Speed Color Inkjet Press.

It is the beginning of a new era at Johnson & Quin. With 143 years of printing experience, we have announced that all client direct mail programs are now printed and personalized on high-speed color inkjet presses. All monochrome (black only) laser printers have been removed from our facility in Niles IL, just north of Chicago.

J&Q is adding a third color inkjet press, a Screen Truepress Jet520ZZ Advanced High-Speed Color Inkjet Printing System. This complements the two existing Screen color inkjet presses, expanding the volumes that can be produced and mailed.

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Add Digital to Your Mail with an Informed Delivery® Campaign

Posted on April 23, 2019 by

In our last blog we explained that Informed Delivery is a Postal Service program that sends consumers an email with grayscale images of the mail pieces that will arrive in their mailboxes soon. Black and white images are displayed of letter sized packages that are processed and scanned through USPS automated sorting equipment. The images can be viewed via email, an online dashboard or mobile app. Individuals can sign up for the program at https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action.

Informed Delivery Interactive Campaigns

Marketers can move beyond static grayscale images to display linked color images. An interactive campaign displays color images with a link to a webpage that directs the recipient to a digital experience. There are two options for an interactive campaign.

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Optimize Your Mail with USPS Informed Delivery®

Posted on April 3, 2019 by

What is Informed Delivery?

Informed Delivery is a Postal Service program that sends consumers an email with grayscale images of the mail pieces they will receive in the next day or two. Images are provided of the exterior, address-side of letter sized pieces that are processed and scanned through USPS automated sorting equipment. Images are not currently captured for flats, and some mail may bypass automation and will not be scanned. The images can be viewed via email, an online dashboard or mobile app. Individuals can sign up for the program at https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action. The service is available in most areas of the country, but not for every zip code.

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Postage Increase Implemented January 27th

Posted on January 31, 2019 by

The Chicagoland area (where J&Q is located), and the rest of the Midwest are coming out of the polar vortex – thank goodness! After surviving wind chills as low as -45 to -55 degrees on Wednesday, mailers are also experiencing higher postage rates.

Postage prices increased on January 27, 2019, and J&Q direct mail clients are experiencing a $.007 to $.008 increase per package.

For consumers the price of a First-Class Forever stamp increased from 50 cents to 55 cents – a 10% increase! However, the single-piece additional ounce price was reduced from 21 cents to 15 cents. Heavier packages like wedding invitations will cost less to mail – from 71 cents to 70 cents.

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USPS Brings Back Promotions in 2019

Posted on December 18, 2018 by

After a one year hiatus, the Postal Service® has announced mailing promotions for 2019. For the past few years the Postal Service has offered mailing promotions and price incentives to create awareness for new and innovative uses of mail. Due to the absence of any presidentially-appointed governors, they did not have the authority to establish promotional pricing for 2018.

Now that there are two governors on the board, promotions have been approved for 2019. The promotions “continue to encourage marketers, printers and mailers to utilize new technology and print techniques that enhance the traditional benefits of a physical mail piece.”₁ The hope is that response rates increase, the value of direct and transitional mail will increase, and the volume of mail will rise or remain steady.

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Postage Increase Announced for January 2019

Posted on November 7, 2018 by

Jan 2019 Calendar2

On January 27, 2019 postage prices are going up, and for J&Q direct mail clients we estimate a $.007 to $.008 increase per package. In October the U.S. Postal Service filed a postal rate adjustment with the Postal Regulatory commission (PRC). If approved by the PRC, postage would increase an average of 2.5% for both First-Class and Marketing Mail (previously Standard Class). The PRC is expected to approve the adjustment by November 13.

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J&Q Welcomes Scott Dempster to Sales Team

Posted on October 25, 2018 by

Scott Dempster has recently joined J&Q as National Sales Director. Scott will be responsible for new business development and fostering relationships with accounts in a variety of vertical markets throughout the country. Scott has extensive experience working with market leading clients in a variety of industries to develop and produce their direct mail programs. He provides outstanding service to his clients and is knowledgeable in multiple production platforms and workflow solutions.

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Is your Service Provider keeping your data safe? Are you sure?

Posted on October 17, 2018 by

 

Data Security Padlock

With so many security breaches at major companies in the United States and around the world, and the implementation of GDPR in Europe (European Unions’ privacy regulations), security has become a top concern in corporate boardrooms. How do we keep sensitive information safe from hackers who are persistently working to infiltrate computer networks (both corporate and personal networks at home) to steal identities, social media accounts, financial, health and other valuable personal information? It’s not enough to just say you have this data secured; you must be able to prove it.

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Manish Haria Promoted to VP of IT and Security

Posted on September 12, 2018 by

IMG_0744 Manish Cropped

Security is a big deal at Johnson & Quin. We process and print millions of records each year and most contain PII – Personally Identifiable Information – like names, addresses and other identifying pieces of information. Because security of data is critical to marketing communications, having the expertise to stay up-to-date with necessary processes, certifications and systems is essential. Manish Haria who has been with J&Q for 18 years was recently promoted to Vice President of IT and Security, and he will help us stay at the forefront of security and processing.

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J&Q Continues Innovation with Addition of SCREEN High-Speed Inkjet Press

Posted on June 20, 2018 by

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Johnson & Quin was recently featured in a press release from SCREEN Americas regarding the installation of the new Truepress Jet520NX inkjet press. This is J&Q’s second high-speed solution in just 3 years from SCREEN Americas, a long-time graphic arts equipment manufacturer.

With over 140 years in the printing business, J&Q has proven that innovation is key to staying ahead of the competition. J&Q’s executive vice president, Bob Arkema, explains: “We installed SCREEN’s Truepress Jet520ZZ 3 years ago, which revolutionized direct mail production for J&Q and our clients. It has enabled us to provide high quality personalization in color, combine versions in one print run, decrease postage and production costs and reduce schedules for our clients.”

“Now, with the new NX, we can offer high quality color personalization on heavier 12 pt paper stocks for postcards and self mailers,” he said.

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