One would hardly imagine envelopes making a showing in our virtual world of emails and WhatsApp. But they do and they have. The Smithsonian has had presentations about them in their National Post Museum. Author and lecturer Maynard Benjamin has published two books on the humble envelope:

‘The Graceful Envelope’

‘Undercover: The Evolution of the American Envelope’

There are over 100 sayings about envelopes that might become extinct before you’ve finished reading this. But while Richard Branson still retains his current iconic status, envelopes have a role to play, as he said;

‘If something can’t be explained on the back of an envelope, it’s rubbish.’

A Mythic Emperor’s Live ‘Envelope’

There is a story that says that an emperor shaved a slave’s head, wrote a message on the scalp, waited for his hair to regrow, and then sent him off to have his head shaved wherever he’d wanted the message read. Time clearly not being of the essence!

Babylon’s Place in the History of Envelopes

Experts say that the idea of enclosing contents in envelopes baked hard to secure the insides was started by the Babylonians. Presumably, the only way to reach the secured innards would have been to smash the outer shell.

Egypt’s Place in the History of Envelopes

The Egyptians were said to simply send messages in rolled, sealed scrolls – so the letter was essentially the envelope too. Doesn’t that remind you of the old blue airmail letter paper you could buy that you folded and glued into an envelope?

France & Spain Enter the History of Envelopes

Somewhere in the 17th century, records of separate envelopes turn up in France and Spain.

You only need to watch The White Queen or the like on Netflix to see letters and envelopes sealed with red wax and a signet ring impression.

But we have to hand it to the toothless French King, Lois the XIV, who made popular the idea of a cover to ensure the privacy of missives. He had a special template made for cutting, folding, and pasting his court communications.

Englands Place in the History of Envelopes

Charles I is said to have made a postal service open to the public with about 45 sorting and delivery staff. Today’s Royal Mail employees some 140 000 – just when you thought letters and envelopes were no longer a thing!

Donkeys and ponies gave way to horse-drawn post wagons until post office buildings and mail boxes were established. Train mail gave way to airmail and mail trucks, while postmen on bicycles delivered to street addresses.

It took a global pandemic for people to reappreciate the value and connectivity letters in envelopes can bring. But let the last word on the worthy envelope be delivered with humour:

‘I’m completely different from Pietersen.

He would turn up to the opening of an envelope.’

– Andrew Flintoff

Give Mailmech a call on 011 789 1608 or email us at info@mailmech.co.za and let our experts both advise and supply you with top-quality letter prep for your campaigns.

Ever noticed how all the magazines in the shops come in neat plastic wrapping? If you haven’t, you will the next time you look at them now that it’s been mentioned!

This is the work of a plastic wrapping system, which may be a handy addition to your company if you work in publishing, media solutions, a mailing house or a printing company. These are just a few of the businesses that would benefit from investing in one of these systems.

How Do They Work?

These systems offer perfect each time wrapping of media products. The product to be wrapped is fed into the machine, wrapped in plastic and sealed. Depending on the product, various plastic thicknesses are used, but the process is as simple as that.

A ploy-wrapping machine such as the Buhrs 1000 works at a speed of 13 000 products per hour. Think about the time this would take if you are working with a manual system? And this is only an entry-level system.

If you have a small business, you may not need to plastic wrap on a large scale. But this machine plays an important role in larger packaging and mailing companies.

Benefits of a Plastic Wrapping System

If you have been looking at a plastic wrapping system, you may be wondering if it is worth the investment. To help make the decision, here are a few features and benefits you can expect:

• Productive and reliable
• Cost-effective
• Great price/performance ration
• High return on investment
• Easy to use and operator friendly
• Easy to service
• Safe and ergonomic
• Storable job settings

These are just s few ideas of what you can expect if you choose to go with one of these neat systems.

Wrapping it Up

Plastic wrapping systems are vital to companies that send out bulk media items. They will save you time and money, and you can direct important skills elsewhere while this machine does its job.

If you would like any more information on plastic wrapping systems, contact Mailmech today. Our friendly team are waiting to assist you.

If your business is sending out large quantities of mail such as invoices, bills, catalogues or brochures regularly, franking machines are an efficient solution to what many people consider an inconvenience. Franking saves you time and money and improves your brand recognition, important to your business growth.

Franking is the process of pre-paying postage costs while at the same time ‘branding’ your mail envelopes with information that it needs to navigate their way through the postal system more efficiently.

A frank is something such as a postage stamp, label, signature or coding that enables your letters or parcels to be sent to their destination. Franks fall into four categories – Privilege, Postage, Official business and Business reply mail. All of these are governed by the universal postal union and are regulated across countries.

Many man-hours are saved by not having to manually apply stamps to each envelope and the opportunity for human error is eliminated.

How Franking Machines Work

Franking machines are linked to your business account and designed to pay for postage in advance by weighing your letters and providing you with accurate postage costs based on weight. Not only will a franking machine provide you with accurate postage costs but depending on what it is that you are posting, you can also expect discounts, which can save you around 4% or more on your business postage costs.

When letters need posting, you would set the machine to the correct date and insert your mail, which is then franked with your individual franking impression, which means never again having to have your employees wasting time waiting in a post office queue.

Even more time is saved by franking because franked mail is date sensitive, which means it has to be processed the same day, moving your post much faster through the postal system.

Many mid-range franking machines allow you to ‘stamp’ anything from your business logo to a message on all your correspondence which makes franking a great way to advertise your brand at no additional cost.

If security is a concern for you, a franking machine allows you to have complete control over who uses the machine. You can also have full visibility on who used what and when. This feature also allows you to control your spend in that you can charge postage back to the relevant department responsible for each mailing run.

Whether your business is big or small, our franking machines come in a variety of sizes and capabilities depending on the volume of letters you have to get out.

Give Mailmech a call on 011 789 1608 or email us at info@mailmech.co.za and let our experts both advise and supply you with top quality products as well as provide you with the necessary information on franking machine licensing legislation.

For businesses and organisations to be POPIA compliant, you need to take appropriate action with regards to the acquisitions, storage and destruction of personal information.  When it comes to destroying hard copies of discarded personal information, it must be done in such a way as to prevent the reconstruction of any documents or media. Businesses that do not destroy documents properly can be heavily fined.

The way to correctly destroy documents and other personal records to meet POPIA compliance is to use a shredder.

Top Tips for Purchasing a POPIA Compliant Shredder

There is no prescription for a “POPIA compliant shredder”, the legislation simply calls for businesses and organisations to implement a policy with regards to the destruction of personal information. The act encourages it but does not specify appropriate levels of security for secure shredding methods. It is thus up to your organisation to define the level of confidentiality and security you wish to practice in meeting POPIA compliance.

While the basic design of a paper shredder is the same whether it is a desktop or industrial version, there are a few important considerations to take into account to make sure you select the right shredder for the job.

Volume:  Most office environments, even home-based ones, end up shredding nearly twice the amount of paper they estimated they would. Try to work out as accurately as possible how many sheets of paper would need to be shredded per day so that you purchase a machine that can handle the load.

Your business may also need a shredder that can handle the destruction of cardboard, CDs, credit cards or employee ID badges.

Cutting mechanism:

Most basic paper shredders use a strip cut system turning each sheet of paper shredded into ribbons. This is the least secure method of shredding.

Shredders that use a cross-cut mechanism, which includes perpendicularly opposed blades, make a series of both horizontal and vertical cuts and twist the paper while cutting it thereby reducing it into small scraps which makes it nearly impossible for any useful information to be recovered for nefarious means.

Confetti shredders work in a similar way to cross-cut shredders and reduce documents into tiny scraps of paper.

The most secure method of shredding is referred to as Micro-Cut.

Shredder Size:  Most shredders can only handle paper up to legal size. If your business needs to shred bigger paper sizes or other types of media, be sure to query available options to meet your requirements.

Warranty and Quality: Make sure to choose a shredder that will be able to meet your shredding demands in the long term as well as one that comes with a good warranty.

Servicing:  Shredders are mechanical items and often generate internal paper dust. To keep your shredder in good working order and to prolong its life, it’s always advisable to service your shredder at regular intervals, depending on the workload.

Get in touch with Mail Mech today to find out more about their range of shredders so that your business is POPIA compliant and your customers can be assured that their personal information is secure. Call the helpful staff for advice on 011-789 1608 or visit www.mailmech.co.za

Everything and everyone is going online. Despite that, well-established paper business tools still hold their fixed place in a marketing arsenal. Pamphlets and brochures are very similar. In fact, they both fall under the same category of “marketing communication.”

Here’s what you need to know about them.

What’s the Difference Between Pamphlets and Brochures?

Placed side by side a brochure and pamphlet don’t appear too different from one another. The notable similarities are:

• Both are printed paper products
• Both convey some form of information
• Both depict images and text

As similar as brochures and pamphlets are, they are still distinctly different from one another. Essentially, the material differs based on its intended use and audience.

What Is a Pamphlet?

The key function of a pamphlet is to provide focused information on one topic. A pamphlet will convey information on a single event or a promotion.

Generally, a pamphlet is made up of one or more unbound pages. Typically they are designed on a single piece of paper that will then be bi or tri-folded. If you need a booklet with concise information on one subject then a pamphlet will best suit your requirements.

What Is a Brochure?

A brochure meets the needs of advertising or marketing. Brochures, as a rule, are designed to catch the eye. They will include captivating, high-quality images that will be paired with enticing support text.

Thus, if your need is for printed media to promote your product or service then a brochure is the way to go. A business brochure offers a high-level look at several products or services in one place and encourages the reader to take action.

What Is Right For You?

The power of brochures and pamphlets lies in their ability to convey a business message inexpensively and effectively.

Whether you need a brochure or a pamphlet, the important thing to keep in mind is that no matter what you’re looking for, Mailing and Mechanisation can supply you with the booklet making machine you need. Call the helpful staff for advice on 011-789 1608 or visit www.mailmech.co.za

Popping to the post office every second day to buy a book of stamps? If your business is sending enough parcels or letters for this to be the case, then the time has come to start comparing franking machines.

If you have never heard of “franking” or franking machines, you’re in for a treat! Franking is the process of printing postage on parcels, envelopes, or labels – think old-school stamps with a marketing twist!

Things to Consider

Now that we have your attention, there are a few things to know when comparing franking machines. They are the cheapest option when it comes to sending mail and will save you endless trips to and from the post office.

Your post can be branded with all your company logos and details – simply, you can turn your franking machine into the ultimate marketing accessory! Franked mail also becomes high priority post, so your lead time is given a boost on top of everything.

Small Medium or Large

You have two options when it comes to franking machines: rent or buy outright. Neither are bad choices; it is more dependent on your cash flow at the time.

There are various franking machines for you to consider once you start the comparison, but the biggest decision to make is going to be whether you want to buy a small, medium, or large machine. And this decision will be based on how busy this little gem is going to be in your office.

• Small or entry-level – 0-700 envelops
• Medium – up to 20 000 envelopes
• Large – anything upwards of 20 000

This is a very simple way to look at the size of the franking machines you may need, but it at least gives you an idea volume-wise.

Comparing Franking Machines

Now that you have been introduced to the wonderful world of franking, comparing franking machines is the next logical step.

If you have any further questions about franking machines, call Mailmech today at +27 (0) 11 789-1608 or email info@mailmech.co.za for more information

No one loves filing. Keeping a well-organised office is a challenge for most of us. However, now is the perfect time to file away last year’s business and start this working year afresh with a clean and tidy office.

Every business needs safe archiving to free up space on their servers and to keep day-to-day operations running efficiently.

If you’re struggling with record-keeping, then archiving services might be the perfect solution for you! Keep reading for some archiving tips.

Safe Archiving

Before you start making plans to clear up some office and server space, it’s a good idea to consider the type of documents you need to retain. You’ll also want to know about the rules and regulations relating to document storage.

Here are 5 tips:

1. Consider what type of information you need to keep and why you need it
2. Know the minimum amount of time you need to hold on to documents
3. Sometimes there’s a maximum period you’re allowed to store client information
4. Make sure you are POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) compliant
5. Use electronic archiving to keep documents safe from physical damage

Every industry is governed by standards. So, follow the regulations that apply to your business to make sure you’re archiving as safely as possible.

Some of the regulations around document archiving concern how long you should keep records. For example, if you’ve submitted a tax return, SARS expects you to keep all your supporting documents for five years.

As another example, according to the Legal Practice Council, legal records must be kept for seven years. Moreover, when it comes to off-site storage, all documents must be kept securely. This ensures the confidentiality requirements governing legal practices are upheld.

Perhaps your company isn’t in the legal, medical, or accounting fields. However, all businesses rely on written communication. The POPI Act has an impact on storing documents that relate to your client’s personal information. This could include your email correspondence.

Safe archiving includes understanding what POPIA Compliance means for your business and abiding by these regulations when you set your file storage policies.

Time for Housekeeping

All businesses generate paperwork. Some more than others. Whether your records are small-scale or up to the ceiling, archiving services are a must.

Safe archiving is essential for your intellectual property. If you need help with storing your emails, or encrypting your electronic files, talk to the team at Mailmech. You can get in touch here.

Over the last few years, cloud-based software has become increasingly popular among businesses. During the pandemic, many employees became remote workers and cloud-based systems became essential.

Many of us are using cloud-based systems daily without even realizing it – Google Drive, Gmail and even Facebook or Instagram are all cloud-based. From a business perspective, working with the cloud means that employees have access to all the documentation they need no matter where they are and what device they are using.

Why Remote Workers Need it

Choosing a cloud-based software system for your business needs and for employees who work remotely has many benefits. It may seem daunting and costly, but in the long run, you will only benefit from going this route

1.     Saving You Money

Even though cloud computing seems like a costly endeavour to set up, once you are, the ease of access to data will outweigh any costs. Many companies offer a pay as you go option, meaning you only pay for what you use when you use it.

Furthermore, if all of your employees are working remotely, you won’t need a big office space or even an office at all! When weighing these up against the initial outlay, it is a simple choice.

2.     Flexibility

Allowing your employees to work from anywhere anytime offers a unique service to your customers. Many companies who gave their employees flexibility found them to be more productive, and happier in their work

3.     Sustainability

Cloud-based software offers an environmentally friendly option for businesses concerned about sustainability. Less paper and waste are a huge benefit to the environment and your company’s carbon footprint.

How to Remain Secure

This will be your top concern when considering cloud-based solutions and as it turns out, going in this direction may offer more security. The job of the cloud host is to monitor site security, and this is more efficient than an in-house security system.

Too many cases of data theft come from inside a business, and as such, it is safer to have data stored off-site. Investigate things like authentication process and secure messaging gateway options before you settle on one company.

If you have any further questions about cloud-based software and how it benefits remote workers, call Mailmech today, or email info@mailmech.co.za for more information