CP was more than keen to innovate the infrastructure. The printers were in any case due for renewal owing to their age and physical wear. So
when experts presented a feasibility study showing how CP could increase its share in the Hybrid Mail market, an overhaul of print facilities was top of the list. CP approved and implemented a triple-action strategy entailing:
- Setting up a third print centre
- Centralising the printing of transactional documents within the print centres
- Equipping all print centres with a unified technology
Partnering with Océ
After exploring their options, CP chose Océ as its partner on the path to modernisation. Implementation of the first systems began in May 2004. By the end of October 2004 three Océ VarioStream® 7550 and three Océ VarioStream 7300 were up and running. CP installed printing systems to meet its printing volumes at that time—including quite a reserve for the monthly peaks—and divided these resources between the three print centres. With all three centres sharing a technology platform, they can easily back each other up if need be.
More capacity, fewer printers
The Océ printer speed gives CP all the capacity it needs for internal and external document printing. With just six Océ VarioStream printers
in place of the 19 legacy systems, CP can handle all its usual print volume—8.5 million A4 pages at the time the systems were introduced—as well as the peak volumes at the start of each month, when 1.2 million bills are printed within three days.
Monthly volumes are constantly increasing. By merging internal and external printing, CP is leveraging the capacity utilisation rates of all its
printers.
Cost savings for CP
The move to Océ saves CP money on all counts. There are cost benefits with the new centralised technology and fewer printers. And the transition
to 2-up printing has reduced process costs by over 40%. But the biggest saving has been on personnel. Fewer people are needed to operate
the printers and do post-print manual sorting. CP has been able to reduce its labour costs by 50%.
The printers have meanwhile been complemented with online pre- and post-processing—an unwinder, a centre cut system for 2-up printing
and a stacker. Prints are automatically collated into stacks according to the printed control code that addresses them to the right delivery post
office. Stacks are then shrink-wrapped with transport documents and packing lists.
Staying ahead—anticipating the challenge
To use residual capacity of its newly installed technology, CP entered into a strategic contract with one of the country’s largest finance and banking groups. However, CP’s new business services and capabilities in statement printing and billing have made it easy to acquire new customers, and the enterprise was soon looking to upgrade the performance of its Océ VarioStream printing systems.
Enabling clients to match performance exactly to their needs, the Océ upgrade path is unique in the market of continuous feed production printers. All six Océ VarioStream systems have now been upgraded, and CP has boosted its print output rate by 1,000 images per minute. Currently CP operates three Océ VarioStream 7550 and three Océ VarioStream 7650 with a total output rate of 3,300 A4 images per minute. The monthly average print volume has risen to about 12 million A4 pages. | 
Czech Post energises its print infrastructure
