Mail Sorting Using Commercial Printers

Welcome to the Dove Direct Print and Marketing Blog. Today's post, "Mail Sorting Using Commercial Printers," provides a solution to the USPS delivery issues due to recent changes made by the newly appointed Postmaster General.  In recent weeks, we have heard complaints from businesses and individuals receiving mail much later than usual.  During the US House of Representative hearings, we learned that the streamlining measures taken to date have resulted in the decommission of mail sorting machines, removal of blue postal mailboxes, and the irreversible destruction of mail sorting machines.  The impact has been nothing short of disruptive.  The changes have harmed mail deliveries, and as a result, many people and businesses have been impacted.  These include veterans, elderly, work-from-home, remote-learning, businesses, government, and non-profits.  Sorting mail is a prerequisite for USPS success.  It is the cornerstone of its ability to deliver mail for millions in a timely fashion. And as we approach 4Q, the make or break for many businesses, questions loom as to how efficient the mail service will be.

Our Quote of the Day: "To write is human, to get mail, Divine!" ― Susan Lendroth

The MLOCR

MLOCR is short for multiline optical-character reader, a mail sorting machine that uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to determine how to route mail through the postal system.

MLOCRs function by capturing a letter-sized mailpiece's image and extracting the complete address from each piece, thereby providing and capturing critical information that improves overall delivery.  It can also look up the postal code within each address from a master database, print a barcode depicting this data on a mail-piece, and perform an initial sort.

The entire process happens in a fraction of a second while the mailpiece passes through the machine.  The mail is further sorted by barcode to determine its final journey and destination that ends with the mail carrier's final walk or drive up.  The USPS is the largest user of mail sorting machines in the US.

The Solution

Mail deliveries are critical for a vast array of business operations in every industry sector.  As the USPS will not reinstitute decommissioned mail sorting machines anytime soon, businesses may experience challenges and delays as it relates to their mail operations.  There are workarounds for this dilemma.  We contend that companies looking for a solution could opt for a commercial printing organization with in-house mail sorting capability and an official USPS clerk operating inside the premises.  A solutions provider can sort mail before it hits the post office, saving time and, depending on volume, postal cost savings.

When looking for a commercial printer, with MLOCR solutions, the company should demonstrate the following:

Automated Bar-Coded Presorting - The printer should be an authorized combined bar-coded presort mailer, allowing the co-mingling of mail from various customers. The presort services should increase the level of sorting, affording customers the broadest possible presort savings.

Selecting a Presort Vendor - The printer should afford customers access to an Act-Tag System, which improves the delivery time frame by one to two days on mail that must be routed via airmail.

IMB (Intelligent Mail Barcode) - The printer should be IMB certified, according to USPS regulations.  Includes the following capabilities: read, sort, and generate the IMB; offer additional mail savings; mail tracking and delivery confirmation services.

Further, the infusion of high-speed color digital printers can push output faster for high-volume segments.  We also note that 80 percent of the transactional document market is fully digital. The digitization has opened the door for highly customizable, personalization of transactional and transpromotional documents.

The Value and Benefits

The merits of investing in an MLOCR Presort Bureau Partner can and should include:

• Lower mailing costs
• Barcode presorting
• Drop shipment
• Delivery verification
• Tracking and tracing
• Standard Class Bulk Mail
• Automate mail sorting

Suppose an organization has a concern about their mail delivery time, especially during the 4Q.  In that case, you should consider a commercial print house with the experience and capability to presort and mail from the auspices of their infrastructure, like Dove Direct, a company with more than 33 years of experience that has the skills, equipment, and capability to satisfy these needs.

The Net-Net

The mail is a critical component of our society. It is a vital, trustworthy communications channel for individuals, entrepreneurs, start-ups, enterprise, government, and non-profits.  With the USPS undergoing new challenges, a commercial printing organization that offers a comprehensive set of mail and distribution services may be the solution that you require to make your number this year.  Thanks for reading, "Mail Sorting Using Commercial Printers!"

Let's have a conversation about integrated business solutions and how they can help grow your business, change behavior, and improve the customer experience. 

Let us show you how to improve your document processes to optimize your workflow, reduce your costs, and maximize your organization's printing, letter shop, and mailing capabilities. 



Dove Direct does have an official USPS certified bureau located within our offices that will save you time and money. We can even create a demo file for you. For more information, call Carla Eubanks at 404-629-0122 or email Carla at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 



Dove Direct, your Atlanta based print and mail solutions provider, offers organizations end-to-end data, printing, and mailing solutions: Data Management, Variable Digital Printing, LetterShop and Fulfillment, Fully Automated MLOCR Presort Bureau, Marketing and Production Management Support and Secure Data Life Cycle Management.


If you don't want to wait, you can reach Dove Direct today by calling 404-629-0122 or use the Contact Form for Dove Direct.