As a supplier to the Australian envelope industry since 1963, The Camerons Group has long felt it had a firm handle of the requirements of the mail system.
In more recent years, it has extended that expertise even further by developing and printing a range of labels for commercial businesses and direct mail marketing initiatives.
This culminated in the establishment of Camerons Print and Mail, an exclusive, fully integrated mailing model, as well as the development of a packaging management program designed to improve workflow, increase effectiveness and reduce the cost of envelope supply for its clients.
However, because The Camerons Group also needed to operate within Australia Post’s strict labelling regulatory requirements, it was necessary that any new technology would improve the ability to adhere to these requirements.
Australia Post's regulatory standards require packaging labels, addresses and barcodes to be placed consistently within a very small space.
To improve upon its existing labelling process, the company contacted Integrated Technology Partners (ITP) to investigate the potential benefits of investing in new printer and labelling technologies to enhance warehouse operations.
“Working with Australia Post, there were a number of regulatory requirements we wanted to ensure that we were meeting, while having technology with the flexibility to evolve with any changing regulatory requirements into the future,” The Camerons group's IT manager, Steve McCarthy, says.
“To do this, especially with the requirements for direct mail barcoding, it was integral that we invested in printer technology that could evolve and cope with changing regulatory requirements.”
However, simply meeting regulatory requirements wasn’t the only reason for upgrading the existing printer and labelling systems.
ITP suggested integrating a number of solutions that would present an opportunity for efficiency and consistency benefits through the power of automation.
To achieve gains in the accuracy, efficiency and consistency of the company's direct mail marketing operations, ITP identified, developed and integrated an autonomous printing and label application solution into The Camerons Group’s warehouse.
By upgrading the company's printers to Intermec PF4i industrial printers, and integrating a bespoke automatic labelling applicator, The Camerons Group was able to almost totally remove human interaction as a factor in the printing and labelling process.
By attaching a label applicator directly to the printer, and limiting interaction from human workers with the packages before, during and after labelling, labels were consistently and accurately placed every time.
This contrasted with the hands-on approach of the previous labelling system, which required labels to be applied by hand to the finished carton.
“We wanted to develop a printing solution that removed the opportunity for human error to occur,” ITP's manager for the Camerons implementation, George Ciecko, says.
To reduce the amount of maintenance required, routine or otherwise, ITP suggested that an industrial thermal transfer printer would be the best solution.
The final step of the project was to integrate a labelling solution that increased efficiency in the labelling process, while also boosting accuracy and consistency.
ITP identified that a label application solution, which could conform to a range of different box shapes and sizes, would be best suited, ensuring full compliance with Australia Post regulations every time.
