Folded Self Mailer Changes What You Need to Know Christine J. Erna Engagement Manager Enterprise Postal Consulting PITNEY BOWES MANAGEMENT SERVICES Alison Hall Client Services Director Direct Mail Solutions PITNEY BOWES PRESORT SERVICES December 13, 2012
Folded Self Mailer Changes: What you Need to Know
Jan 12, 2015
Will your Folded Self Mailers comply with the New US Postal Service requirements in January 2013?
As part of the Folded Self Mailer Changes: What You Need to Know! webinar, Christine J. Erna, Engagement Manager with PB Enterprise Postal Consulting and Alison Hall, Client Services Director – Direct Mail Solutions for PB Presort Services discused:
• General Standards that include dimensions, weight and closure methods
• Recommended Standards
• Illustrative Options of a Mailpiece
• Common Fold Methods
• Paper Basis Weights
Learn about the revised standards that Folded Self-Mailers (FSM) and specific Un-enveloped mailpiece designs must meet to receive automation letter discounts. The revised standards take effect January 05, 2013.
As part of the Folded Self Mailer Changes: What You Need to Know! webinar, Christine J. Erna, Engagement Manager with PB Enterprise Postal Consulting and Alison Hall, Client Services Director – Direct Mail Solutions for PB Presort Services discused:
• General Standards that include dimensions, weight and closure methods
• Recommended Standards
• Illustrative Options of a Mailpiece
• Common Fold Methods
• Paper Basis Weights
Learn about the revised standards that Folded Self-Mailers (FSM) and specific Un-enveloped mailpiece designs must meet to receive automation letter discounts. The revised standards take effect January 05, 2013.
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Folded Self
Mailer Changes What You Need to Know
Christine J. Erna
Engagement Manager
Enterprise Postal Consulting
PITNEY BOWES MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Alison Hall
Client Services Director
Direct Mail Solutions
PITNEY BOWES PRESORT SERVICES
December 13, 2012
Agenda
This change will affect
virtually all mailed letter
size pieces that are not in
an envelope.
Key Dates
Why the Change?
General Standards that include:
Dimensions
Weight
Closure Methods
Common fold methods
Paper Basis Weights
Resources
2
Effective Date January 5, 2013
Key Dates for Folded Self mailers -
Don’t run out of time
3
Postage Consequences for Non-
Compliance after January 5, 2013
First-Class and Standard Mail will pay
Non-machinable letter rates.
Periodicals will pay non-barcoded rates.
4
Why Changes? Now?
Direct Mail mix shifting to more FSM
Appeals to PCSC for exceptions growing
FSM have higher jam rates and damage
The revised standards are intended to provide mailers more mailpiece
design options, while balancing design innovation and machinability to
improve the overall supply chain.
It is estimated that
20%-30% of letter
size mail in the
mailstream are
Booklets and Self
Mailers
5
Why the Changes? Significant mailpiece damaged
Lower processing through-put
Jams in equipment
Why Changes? Now?
6
Current methods of diversion to
manual sort or flats sorter is
very costly
The Industry asked
for clear standards
Significant participation from letter mailing industry
Over 250k pieces tested
Participants were given opportunity to view test
Folded Self-Mailer study
7
Top group shows
condition of pieces
when using existing
requirements
60lb paper with one
tab at top center
Bottom group shows
condition of pieces
when using revised
requirements
70lb paper with two
tabs at top
Will revise standards make a difference?
8
YES!!
A folded self-mailer is formed of
panels created when a single or
multiple unbound sheets of paper
are folded together and sealed to
a letter-size mailpiece.
Folded Self-Mailer Definition
9
Dimension
Height – 3.5” to 6” max (new)
Length – 5” to 10.5” max (new)
Weight – up to 3oz (new)
Paper cover basis weight - Book grade (Text, Offset)
Basic Folded Self-Mailer design
70lb (new) min for 1oz mailpiece; 80lb (new) over 1oz up to 3oz
Optional elements added
basis weight ranges from 80lb to 120lb
basis weight increases when piece weight is over 1oz
Newsprint paper allowed on quarter-fold design only
55lb minimum paper, 1.5 inch tabs required.
Basic Design Elements
10
Changes to
Dimensions
Weights
Paper
Basic Design Elements
11
Fold style / orientation
Horizontal - final fold at bottom edge to non-address
side
Vertical - final fold on lead edge to non-address side
Oblong is a common name for this fold style
These are only
representative
illustrations of
potential designs.
Basic Design Elements
12
Panels - formed when a sheet(s) of paper are folded
Each folded section of a sheet is a separate panel
Both sides of panel count as one and the same panel
Equal - nearly equal size; varied fold styles with panels of
differing sizes, short panels covered by full-size panel(s)
Internal partial panels count toward # panels allowed
Final fold panel creates non-address side of mailpiece by
folding from bottom to top, or lead to trail edge
Basic Design Elements
13
Placement of Address Block
On Tri-folded Self-Mailer
Not here as done in the past
Address the non closure side
Basic Design Elements
14
Common Fold Methods*
Bi-fold: single sheet folded once in half forming two panels.
Tri-fold: single sheet folded twice forming three panels.
Quarter-fold: single sheet folded at least two times with the second fold at a
right angle (perpendicular) to the preceding fold. One sheet of paper quarter-
folded produces four panels.
Oblong: mailpiece with fold(s) vertical to length of letter. Final fold must be on
lead edge.
* When a folded self-mailer is made of multiple sheets, multiply the number of
sheets by the number of panels created when folding a single sheet to
determine the number of panels in the finished multi-sheet folded self-mailer. e.g.
(3) sheets of paper folded once in half (2 panels) = (6) total panels.
Both sides of a panel count as “one and the same” panel.
Basic Design Elements
15
2 Panels
( Bi-fold )
Single sheet
folded
once in half
4 Panels
Two nested sheets folded
once in half
One sheet folded three times
One sheet quarter-folded
perpendicular
3 Panels
( Tri-fold )
Single sheet of
paper folded twice
…up to 12 panels
for most designs
Panel Count
Basic Design Elements
Flap - used for closure of mailpiece on non-address side
Horizontal fold letter, external flap is final fold from top edge
Vertical fold letter, external flap must be final fold from lead
edge
Die-cut shape external flaps allowed
glue line seal along the contour of the edge recommended
glue spots / elongated glue lines or tabs must sufficiently
seal the flap to the non-address side panel
Basic Design Elements
Closure method - Glue (adhesive or cohesive)
Closure method - Tabs (2 or 3 based on mailpiece design)
Placed either at Top or Lead / Trail
within 1" from adjacent edge(s)
lower lead edge tab ½” from bottom
Perforated Tabs
were eliminated
more than 12
months
Design Elements Interior Attachment or Loose Enclosures
Max thickness of attachments
and/or loose enclosures is:
.05” - mailpiece weight under 1oz
.09” - mailpiece weight over 1oz
Attachments must be secured on
panel 1/2” from edges
Loose enclosures must be made of
paper and remain secure in pocket
or other containment method;
pocket does not count as a panel
Paper basis weight is 80lb min;
100lb if piece exceeds 1oz
These are only
representative
illustrations
of potential designs.
Design Elements Attachments
Internal attachments (must be secured to panel)
Multiple attachments must be nearly uniform in thickness
When multiple attachments are secured on separate panels,
combined thickness is applied to maximum allowed if those
attachments align stacked.
Where multiple attachments are placed adjacent across
panel(s), thickest attachment applies to maximum allowed
Design Elements Perforation Options on NON Address Side Panel
Pop-Open Pane - three sides perforated
Pop-Out Pane - full perimeter perforation
Panes placed 1” from edges and other
panes
4” max for height, length, diameter
Circle, oval, rectangle or square shape
Pull-Open Strip – Horizontal
Placed at least 1” from top
Dual lines placed ½” to 1” apart
Pull-Open Strip - Vertical
Placed at least 5” from lead, 2” from
trail edge
Paper basis weight -100lb if under 1oz,
120lb if over
5” from Lead
and/or 2” from
Trail edge
1” from Top edge;
dual lines spaced
.5” to 1” apart
Design Elements Die Cut on External Panel
Up to two die-cutout holes can be placed in
address or the non-address side panel
No “through-holes” allowed
Size:
Circular or Oval - 2” max
Rectangular* - 1.5” x 2” max
¼” radius corners
Placement:
1.5” from all edges
5” from lead edge on non-address side
Thumb-notch:
½” max semi-circular die-cut at trail edge
of address or non-address panel
Paper basis weight: 100lb min under 1oz,
120 if over
Design Elements “Open-Sleeve” Style Letter
Symmetrical panels joined together to
form an Open-Sleeve style letter
Panels sealed along top and bottom
edge using a 1/8”W continuous glue line
Optional inner flaps
Optional elements incorporated must
comply with standards in 201.3.14.6-9
Paper basis weight minimum is 80lb, but
must meet required basis weight for any
optional element used according to DMM
201.3.14.5-9
Design Elements Paper Basis Weight
Basic FSM Quarter-
Fold
Interior
Attachments
or Loose
Enclosures
in Pocket
Perforations
on Cover
Non-
Address
Side Only
Die-Cutout
Windows
on Cover
Address or
Non-
address
Side
Tear-off
Opening
Device on
Lead and/or
Trail Edge
Paper
Basis
Weight
Book Grade
(min)
(Text, Offset)
70lb up to
1oz
80lb over 1oz
70lb up to
1oz
80lb over
1oz
Newsprint -
55lb min and
only allowed
with the
Quarter-fold
design
80lb up to 1oz
100lb over
1oz
100lb up to
1oz
120lb over 1oz
100lb up to
1oz
1
20lb over 1oz
60lb min
80lb
recommended
if over 1oz or
contains
inserts
In Summary –
Major Impacts:
Dimension
Height: 6” max
Length: 10.5” max
Weight: up to 3oz max (closure method based on mailpiece weight)
Paper Basis Weight: based
on design/weight
Book grade (Text/Offset) minimum
70lb and higher
Newsprint min 55lb; only allowed
with quarter-fold design
Closure method options - based on design/weight
Continuous glue line or elongated
glue lines, glue spots
Tabs: 2 or 3 non-perforated tabs
24
DMM standards effective date – Jan 05, 2013
Visit FSM home page at RIBBS to access documents
https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.cfm?page=fsm
Resources
25
Nationwide MDA Support Center is now available!
The United States Postal Service® is excited to announce the launch
of the MDA Support Center, a new service that connects customers
with a Mailpiece Design Analyst who will provide timely assistance and
evaluations of mailpiece design, including Reply Mail.
Customers may contact the MDA Support Center by dialing
855-593-6093, or by sending a request via email to [email protected].
The MDA Support Center hours of operation are Monday through
Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, CST.
Resources
26
27
Resources
Ribbs.usps.gov
Christine J. Erna MDP, AQS
Engagement Manager
Enterprise Postal Consulting
Pitney Bowes Management Services
603-974-1169
Pitney Bowes can assist you in complying with and gaining the most
from the new Folded Self-mailer rules.
For more information:
Website: www.pb.com/mailservices
Email: [email protected]
Questions and Answers
28
Alison Hall
Client Services Director
Direct Mail Solutions
Pitney Bowes Presort Services
816-221-9003
THANK YOU.
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