Tunleys Mail and Print, a mail processing company with branches in Johannesburg and Cape Town, has bought a Xerox Impika continuous feed inkjet production system from Bytes Document Solutions, total value R30-million. This is the first Impika installation in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.
Tunleys chose the Xerox Impika iCompact 24:24– the smallest production inkjet engine in its class – because of its small footprint and its ability to deliver an entire solution from end-to-end. The Impika press replaces a range of monochrome high-speed printers that were significantly more expensive per print. As a result Tunleys will not only increase productivity by streamlining its operations and automating the production of bank statements, but will also operate more cost-effectively.
“Until the introduction of inkjet technology for printing, paper-based communication was a non-interactive document,” says Jeff van der watt, CEO of Tunleys Mail and Print. “With the full-colour inkjet printer from Impika, we can now print vibrant, personalised correspondence, offering promotional communication as part of the transactional document. Transpromotional documents are more interactive and target customers with messages that will appeal to them specifically, given their personal needs and desires. We have the ability to standardise transpromo messages across various media, paper-based or electronic, and ensure that the image and brand of our clients remain consistent across all channels.”
Tunleys will use the Impika iCompact 24:24 to process statements for its key clients, adding colour to monochrome documents and taking advantage of the white space on bills and statements to display colour coupons, customer loyalty opportunities, and special offers.
“Transpromo and white-space management will enable our clients to get the most use out of their printed matter,” adds Van der Watt. “We offer this service at a price that is comparable to the current technology of printing variable monochrome data onto litho pre-printed letterheads, making Tunleys a market leader in this space.”
Cost considerations and continuous problems with the postal service in South Africa has led many of Tunleys’ clients to convert their communication from print to electronic documents. However, given the lack of Internet access for the majority of consumers, paper will remain a primary means of communication for years to come. “The business has always embraced innovation, which is why we identified the need to improve on the look and feel of printed documents and to bring them to life,” adds Van der Watt.
“With Tunleys being the first to acquire an Impika press in the Middle East and Africa region, Tunleys Mail & Print are market leaders when it comes to offering its customers a complete communication solution with full-colour, high-speed printing at its core,’ says Jenny Attewell, production printing executive, Production Systems Group, at Bytes Document Solutions. “The Impika iCompact 24:24 integrates easily into a production system. It’s designed to produce transpromo, transactional, and direct mail at the lowest printing costs. As a result, we expect the Impika solution to attract new clients, and to lead to increased revenue and higher profitability for Tunleys.”
Commenting on why he chose the Impika, Van der Watt says the Xerox brand is internationally respected, and that dealing with Bytes Documents Solutions is always a pleasure. “The BDS team made the transition from old to new technology, and the rollout of a brand new print strategy for Tunleys a seamless process.”