Rocky Hill, CT - Software Marketing Associates (SMA), the purveyor of Pro-Mail, the nation's top custom-tailored fulfillment and management software, announced today that The Scan Group has entered into a licensing agreement to use its Pro-Mail suite of direct-marketing and fulfillment software solutions to help the Wisconsin company expand its fulfillment business.

For several years, The Scan Group has been providing Print-on-Demand storefronts and solutions. With a number of pick-and-pack fulfillment and kitting programs, the warehouse portion has been managed with internally developed tools, which were nearing their "maximum load." Because growing the Print-on-Demand & Fulfillment segments of their business was deemed critical to their continued success, The Scan Group began to study the options for growing both areas.

As Scan Group's Todd Thompson, Director of Digital Development, explains, "As we went about our due diligence, we talked over what we were looking for with reps at Bitstream, specifically about PageFlex, its web-to-print system. As discussions continued and the subject turned to fulfillment and warehouse management, Bitstream suggested we take a close look at Pro-Mail."

"It was good advice," Thompson continues, "and paved the way for our "twofer" solution. Several years earlier Bitstream and SMA had developed an integration between Pro-Mail and PageFlex, which now enables us to more effectively offer customers one-stop shopping for inventoried items along with items produced on-demand. Equally important, Pro-Mail had the very capabilities we were seeking to boost the fulfillment side of the company."

With Pro-Mail, The Scan Group is able to introduce barcode technology to the warehouse, communicate in real time with its shipping systems, and manage the most complex of kitting applications. It also now is able, unlike before, to automate warehouse activities and bring an overall greater degree of quality control to fulfillment.

"We're feeling bullish about tomorrow around here," said Todd Thompson. "As we go forward, it's good to know Pro-Mail will be in our corner."

The Scan Group is one of more than 200 client companies that place their trust in SMA and Pro-mail. Every day they depend upon Pro-Mail to seamlessly handle literally thousands of distinct fulfillment programs managed on behalf of Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, among others.

"It is always a shot in the arm when you sign up a new customer. The vote of confidence that The Scan Group has placed in Pro-Mail--its belief that our company can help it to be more successful--is great, and a bit humbling, too," said Denise Lunden, SMA president. "We need to make certain we maintain that trust and, as with are other valued customers, we'll strive to do just that, adapting Pro-Mail to meet the company's particular needs. The folks at SMA look forward to forging a good business relationship with the folks at The Scan Group."