Access Direct Enters Continuous-Feed Market with Océ ColorStream 3900 Production Inkjet Press

MELVILLE, NY—August 26, 2014—Canon Solutions America, a subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., has announced that Access Direct Systems, a Farmingdale, NY-based direct mail and marketing service company, has installed an Océ ColorStream 3900 digital color printing system, part of the Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin series.

Founded in 1969 as a data compilation company, Access Direct has evolved into one of the largest direct mail and marketing service companies in the United States, mailing over a billion pieces annually. From data processing and print production management to bindery, inserting and mailing, Access Direct provides a full array of services to publishers, banks and financial institutions, advertising agencies, communication companies, membership organizations, retailers and other Fortune 1000 companies.

Throughout its 45 years in business, Access Direct has adhered to a simple, yet effective philosophy: to consistently provide superior service and quality while maintaining the stringent requirements of its clients. Since the beginning, the company has relied heavily on sophisticated technology to help it deliver on its promise of maximum efficiencies and flawless delivery. This commitment to innovation and consistent results led Access Direct to long-time partner Canon Solutions America and specifically to the Océ ColorStream 3900 digital inkjet printing system.

Access Direct was already deeply entrenched in both digital and color, according to Executive Vice President Lori Messina, but only in cutsheet solutions designed for small volumes. As its clients began looking for larger volumes, Access Direct recognized the need to expand into the world of high-volume, continuous-feed digital inkjet color printing.

“We needed technology that would allow us to produce very large numbers in a very quick turnaround and be able to maintain quality and meet all of our clients’ stringent requirements,” said Messina. “The Océ ColorStream inkjet technology dovetails right into that because it allows us to enter the world of color and personalization in a more high-tech, digital environment.”

According to Francis McMahon, vice president, marketing, Production Print Solutions division of Canon Solutions America, companies like Access Direct gravitate towards the Océ ColorStream 3900 because it empowers the team to deliver on customers’ expectations for a lightning-fast turnaround without sacrificing quality. It also gives them the ability to print on the ramp-up and ramp-down during speed increases and decreases.

“These days, it’s all about being cost effective and that means having as little down-time as possible,” explained McMahon. “The Océ ColorStream 3000 series allows for the ability to continue printing throughout the entire process without having to wait for the machine to ramp up or down to the desired production print speed.”

White Paper In, Full Color—or Black Only—Out
Impressed by the near-offset quality, speed of operation, and quality control features of the Océ ColorStream 3900, Executive Vice President John DiNozzi was also pleased with the machine’s ability to do double-duty, as both a color printer and a monochrome-only printer.

“With many of Canon Solution America’s competitors, you have to print color all the time,” noted DiNozzi. “The Océ ColorStream 3900 has the ability to cap the unused print heads, so it only takes minutes to switch from monochrome to color.”

The consistent color of the Océ ColorStream 3900 system also proved to be a major selling point. “In the world of offset, colors change over time, but with the Océ ColorStream 3900, the color is stable from job one to job one million,” relayed Messina. “Once you’ve locked in those parameters, you have the consistency of that color match.”

The Power of Partnership
After several months of working with the Océ ColorStream 3900, DiNozzi and Messina couldn’t be more pleased with its performance. However, it wasn’t just the superior technology that convinced them they had made the right decision buying their new equipment from Canon Solutions America. This latest acquisition served to reinforce the value of the partnership they had forged with Canon Solutions America over the years. Not only did Canon Solutions America provide a full array of professional services, including color management classes, it provided Access Direct with access to the PressGo! business development portal, which Messina says has proven invaluable.

“It’s crucial that we have a partner who not only understands our industry, but is going to be there for us,” said DiNozzi. “This acquisition was a real game changer, and Canon Solutions America held our hand and made sure we were comfortable every step of the way.”

About the Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin Series
The Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin series is a series of high-speed, high-quality full-color inkjet printers with a speed of 157 up to 417 ft./min. for 344 up to 1,818 letter images/min. Through its unique combination of productivity, efficiency and quality, the Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin series simplifies and accelerates the transition from monochrome to full-color or even up to five or six colors. The Océ DigiDot multilevel dot modulation produces crisp details and smooth halftones with a perceived quality of 1,200 dpi at full-rated speed. It offers productivity and flexibility for high-speed color and monochrome production of transaction, TransPromo, direct mail, book and commercial applications with the reliability, print quality and media range associated with the Océ DigiDot technology. The Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin series provides a modular offering in various single and twin configurations. The flexible Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin series system allows you to adapt the printing mode to match the pace of your transition to color. A full-color Océ ColorStream 3000 Twin series can be set up as monochrome-only system when needed. The production and media flexibility contributes to a system that simplifies the transition of applications and business models to more sophisticated documents with variable personalization and smarter communication in color.

About Access Direct
As one of the largest direct mail and marketing service companies in the country, Access Direct Systems is responsible for mailing over a billion pieces annually. It services various industries including publishers, banks and financial institutions, advertising agencies, communication companies, membership organizations, fund raisers, retailers and other Fortune 1000 companies. Many large-volume and continuity mailing clients prefer Access Direct because of its record of performing these services consistently and cost effectively. To support these mailings, its services include database management, print production management, postal optimization, personalization and mailing.

About Canon Solutions America
Combining the strengths of the former Canon Business Solutions and Océ North America, Canon Solutions America provides industry leading enterprise services, advanced production print technology and large format solutions supported by exceptional professional service offerings. Canon Solutions America helps companies of all sizes to improve their business by increasing efficiency, controlling costs and becoming more environmentally conscious. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A. Canon Solutions America is headquartered in Melville, NY, and has sales and service locations across the United States.

Source: Canon Solutions America.