MELVILLE, N.Y. - Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., today announced that L & D Mail Masters Inc., a full-service direct marketing leader, has enhanced its portfolio of solutions with the installation of the industry-leading Océ VarioPrint i300 inkjet color digital press. The addition of the VarioPrint i300 is proof that this Nationally Certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBENC) operation continues its rich history of staying at the forefront of its industry through a combination of best-in-class leadership and an innovative suite of technology and solutions.  

Since 1986, L & D Mail Masters has enabled its clients to create campaigns that relate, captivate, cultivate and resonate with their target audience across numerous industries. Offering a wide variety of solutions for direct marketing needs and inquiries, the Indiana-based firm supports its customers from campaign design to implementation, and all of the services in-between. Additionally, in keeping with the theme of an all-encompassing operation, its facility enables its clients to design, print, and mail all in one location.

Supporting customers that include insurance companies, financial institutions, universities, national sales organizations, publishing companies, healthcare organizations, among others, it is essential that L & D Mail Masters offer a dynamic range of print applications for its unique customer-base. Most recently, it opened the door to new business opportunities with additional services that have effectively bolstered an already strong portfolio. Chief among these new enhancements was the acquisition of the Océ VarioPrint i300 sheetfed inkjet press, a game-changing inkjet technology which can help take organizations of all sizes to new heights. Now, coupling the one-stop-shop approach with one of inkjet's most impressive presses, L & D Mail Masters is more suited than ever before to develop new revenue streams and help further support both new and existing customers ready to embrace the benefits of inkjet.

"A few years ago, we looked into inkjet and how it could positively impact our business," said Diane Fischer, L&D Mail Masters' President who took the business from a home operation 31 years ago to an 180,000 square foot facility and multi-million dollar organization. "As the cost of toner-based printers continued to rise, we looked into other options and what they could help us achieve; however, once the VarioPrint i300 was introduced, we decided that it was the right technology for us, and that the time was now to embrace advancements in sheetfed inkjet. We haven't looked back since."

Since installing the leading inkjet press, the benefits of sheetfed technology have proved their worth for L & D Mail Masters and its customers. Noting everything from enhancements in uptime and reliability to broader application versatility and a true white paper workflow solution, Fischer maintains the most impressive quality was, and continues to be, the vibrant color output provided by the VarioPrint i300.

"While yes the press is very easy to operate and our overall transition to sheetfed inkjet was largely seamless, along with the installation itself, it's the color quality and the ability to now color match across virtually all platforms that sets the VarioPrint i300 apart for us," confirmed Fischer. "With the help of Canon Solutions America's Production Print Solutions division and its Professional Services team, we greatly benefitted from color matching training that ran concurrently with operational classes. Our customers require exact and specific colors, and that is what the i300 enables us to provide. The continued support from Canon Solutions America and enhancements from its inkjet technology are second to none."

A part of those enhancements for Fischer and her team was the addition of an inline booklet maker. As many Canon customers have experienced, the inline finishing options associated with the VarioPrint i300 can directly impact and streamline workflow, helping to eliminate the need to outsource finishing to a third party. This completely automated workflow has enabled L & D Mail Masters to operate with improved end-to-end productivity and deliver fast, uninterrupted production while greatly reducing fees associated with finishing.

As one of the first sheetfed inkjet color production presses available on the market, the Océ VarioPrint i300 offers customers like L & D Mail Masters an attractive alternative to replace their aging higher cost, lower uptime, less flexible, and lower speed toner-based sheetfed printers. As witnessed by Fischer and her team, the VarioPrint i300 has also made it possible to address new market segments productively and cost-effectively.

"Another important need for us was the ability to have more growth applications and versatility on-site with inkjet technology," noted Fischer. "We are now taking on more jobs, managing shorter runs, handling variable data applications and, equally important, offering diverse media options for our valued customers across their industries. All of this has directly affected our revenue streams and given us a wide variety of services on one press."

Bridging the gap between the application flexibility and efficiency of sheet-fed presses and the economy and productivity of web-fed systems, the VarioPrint i300 is a breakthrough in cutsheet versatility and inkjet productivity. Helping users like L & D increase speeds without compromising quality is paramount to continued success with the inkjet press. This high-speed output at lower per-page cost is yet another benefit noted by Fischer – and one that has enabled L & D to grow tremendously in recent months.

"Our customers tend to stay with us based on our valued partnerships and unwavering commitment to helping them achieve their goals and meet difficult deadlines," added Fischer. "The Océ VarioPrint i300 is an extension of that commitment and is setting us up for great results both in the near and long term. I look forward to growing with Canon Solutions America as a trusted partner."

"Since the release of the VarioPrint i300, customers like L & D Mail Masters have helped us remain vigilant in our quest to adjust and evolve to specific customer needs," said Francis McMahon, senior vice president, Marketing, Production Print Solutions, Canon Solutions America. "Working together with Mrs. Fischer and the L & D team gave us an opportunity to push the press even further, and uncover ways for it to help generate revenue and acquire new customers."