Chanhassen, Minn. 1/27/2001 — Commingling may not be a common word to most people, but the process of commingling, or mixing materials together, can be an uncommon source of savings for direct marketers. The mailing services arm of Instant Web has pioneered the use of commingling and logistics management to find real cost savings, as well as provide expedient project management and efficient reach of target audiences, for direct marketers. "Direct marketers receive significant savings not only from Instant Web’s single-source project management but also from postal rate reductions," said Kevin Nielsen, Instant Web director of operations, mailing. "We work with customers to maximize postal discounts and advantages by taking over some of the handling usually done by the U.S. Postal Service." Instant Web’s postage management service allows discounts from the USPS based on how mail is processed, sorted and transported to its destination. The less the USPS has to handle the mail, the bigger the discount. And mail will arrive faster, allowing the direct marketer to focus on in-home dates instead of drop dates. "Instant Web handles approximately two million pieces of mail a day. Each direct mail project is analyzed and managed to take full advantage of all available postage savings," said Nielsen. "Instant Web coordinates mail for direct destination entry, ensuring maximum discounts and enhancing the predictability of in-home dates." PostageMax. Instant Web helps direct marketers receive substantial savings by analyzing and commingling mailings from several clients during the same time frame into one much larger mailing. The new larger mailing, which then qualifies for lower five-digit USPS bulk mailing rates, provides additional postage cost savings for every customer whose mail was commingled. Optimal mailings to take advantage of commingling range in size from 25,000 to one million pieces. RideShare. The next step toward savings is mail palletization and truck load planning systems, based on USPS destination entry discounts, to help customers reach target markets in the most efficient and economical way. The postal service offers discounts for trucking directly to the region where the mail will be delivered. After mailings are commingled, the pieces are shipped directly to the appropriate mailing facility effectively bypassing one to two steps in the traditional USPS process. Instant Web’s RideShare ships mail directly to 29 BMCs/ASFs and 109 SCF entry points twice a week. Instant Web’s mailing operation runs 24 hours a day. Comprehensive systems for mail file preparation include CASS-certified address enhancement and correction services, NCOA service, merge/purge and split & key. Demographic modeling, analysis and file segmentation are customized services. The Instant Web Companies, headquartered in Chanhassen, Minn., has served the North American printing and mailing market for over 30 years. The Instant Web Companies provides integrated printing, envelope and mailing services for direct marketers.