CSA Event Includes Tour of Data-Mail

Canon Solutions America (CSA) hosted about 40 existing customers and prospects from around the country during its East Coast Inkjet Insider Summit held in Hartford, CT, March 24-25. Aside from networking opportunities with fellow print professionals and with CSA Production Print Solutions senior executives Mal Baboyian, Francis McMahon and Mike Roberts, the highlight of the event was a tour of Data-Mail’s full-service direct mail printing and lettershop facility in nearby Newington, CT, and an optional visit to Data-Mail’s sister lettershop location in Windsor, CT.

After a networking dinner the night before in downtown Hartford, CSA presented a company overview and product update, which was followed by a panel discussion featuring Data-Mail executives, including Andrew (Andy) Mandell, founder and CEO; Bruce Mandell, president; Scott Braunstein, senior VP of operations and legal affairs; and Peter Barzach, VP of operations. The plant tour at Data-Mail’s Newington operation followed.

With two Océ JetStream 2200 continuous-feed inkjet presses and a new Océ ColorStream 3900 in operation, Bruce Mandell described how Data-Mail is effectively utilizing his color inkjet press capacity to run both color and black-only work; providing more sophisticated personalization; as well streamlining productivity with white paper-in and thus reducing the need for preprinted offset shells.

He also described how the direct mail and transactional print shop opted for roll-to-roll inkjet press configurations with off-line finishing due to Data-Mail’s wide assortment of customer jobs and his desire to run the presses at higher speeds.

In terms of production inkjet printing pain points, Bruce Mandell pointed to encountering problems with paper availability, pricing and quality of suitable inkjet stocks in the past, especially coated grades.

Noting that the overall market supply for paper is improving, Mandell now relies on offerings mostly from Glatfelter, as well as from Mitsubishi Imaging (MPM) and Mondi.

Click here to see an interview with Bruce Mandell about his company’s recent high-speed inkjet printing investments.