Tried-and-tested technology and flexible software
Augsburg, 24 November 2011 – The private mail service provider market is characterized by ongoing change and technical development, and the systems deployed here have to demonstrate a high level of flexibility if they are to prevail. At the same time, calls for efficient, future-oriented transport and letter-processing solutions and for machines designed for continuous operation are becoming more insistent against the backdrop of stiff daily competition to attract postal customers. The Simex Letter sorting system unveiled at POST EXPO 2011 as a solution for the private mail service sector incorporates the internationally established machine technology of the CRS 3000/RE alongside flexible software for the private mail market. As the first result of the collaboration between Augsburg-based BÖWE SYSTEC and Siemens Infrastructure Logistics on mail sorting systems, it combines the strengths of both companies.
Siemens Infrastructure Logistics in Constance leads the world in the field of mail sorting solutions. Its know-how is based on over 45 years’ experience in this sector. Almost all the world’s major national postal services now use Siemens sorting technology, with over 23,000 of the market leader’s systems installed around the globe. Augsburg-based BÖWE SYSTEC GmbH, on the other hand, is the leading provider of sorting solutions for the private sector. It is familiar with the process requirements of small and medium-sized mail service providers and has the flexible software solutions demanded by this customer base. A robust sales and service network in the private markets of Europe and Japan, essential for the development of this target group and satisfaction of its requirements characterized by ongoing change, is another of the strengths of BÖWE SYSTEC GmbH.
Geared to growing demands
The proximity to the customer as a result of BÖWE SYSTEC’s network of branches and international sales partners enables the company to identify changing requirements in respect of sorting technology at an early stage and to come up with the appropriate new solutions. The private mail service sector, for instance, is increasingly looking to boost productivity in order to satisfy the growing demands of the market. “If our customers are to achieve their objectives, they need the best hardware available on the market, plus the strongest OCR engine around – and Siemens has both,” explains Heiner Kudrus. CEO of BÖWE SYSTEC GmbH. “These can push process costs down to a new level.” Siemens is interested in opening up a new market in the private mail service provider sector for its sorting machines which are already well established among many of the world’s major postal service providers. “Even during the initial meetings between the companies it quickly became clear that collaboration on mail sorting systems was a win-win situation,” reports Joachim Koschier, CSO of BÖWE SYSTEC GmbH. “We signed a cooperation agreement just three months after starting negotiations.”
New market for established system
As the first result of the collaboration, BÖWE SYSTEC unveiled its Simex Letter letter-sorting system to industry specialists at POST EXPO 2011 as a sorting solution tailored precisely to the needs of private mail service providers. “The system is based on a tried-and-tested, robust technology with undoubtedly the biggest installed base around the globe,” says Erwin Lenhardt, Senior Vice President Sales at Siemens Infrastructure Logistics. “What is new are the range of options and the flexibility it gives small and medium-sized mail service providers in tandem with the BÖWE SYSTEC software.”
Outstanding TCO
In addition to achieving throughput rates of over 47,000 mailpieces per hour, the Simex Letter sorter can process up to 25,000 mixed mailpieces per hour in formats ranging from postcards, DIN C5 to DIN C4. “The Simex Letter is designed for continuous operation and represents an entirely new concept in the private market, where machines with small production windows have been used to date,” says Joachim Koschier. “Viewed over the entire product life cycle, this sorter with its outstanding TCO is a much better investment than all the systems that have gone before.” The sorting system is equipped with Siemens OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, which is the best in the business and can also identify handwriting at a very high reading rate. Boasting a minimal footprint, the system has between 16 and 192 medium- to high-capacity stackers, depending on configuration. As the Simex Letter is ergonomically optimized with an extremely compact design, it only requires a single operator to place letters on the feeder and remove the sorted mail from the stackers. The user-friendly, state-of-the-art user interface of the operating station is equipped with a color touch screen, which contributes to the general ease of operation. High-efficiency engines, special materials for the conveyor belts and processing lines with as few moving parts as possible ensure that the Simex Letter is an extremely cost-effective solution in terms of energy consumption too.
Benefiting from the advantages of the new collaboration in the future
The new cooperation with Siemens will not mean any major changes for customers who operate machines resulting from the sorting systems partnership between BÖWE SYSTEC and Bell + Howell. “We will continue to look after these customers, providing them with spare parts, service and software in tried-and-tested fashion,” stresses Joachim Koschier. “The only difference for our long-standing customers in this sector is that they will be able to benefit from the advantages of our collaboration with Siemens when they purchase new products.”