Pittsburgh Post-Gazette chooses Harland Simon for mailroom management
11th June 2004

In October 2003, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette selected Harland Simon for the supply of a totalizer and mailroom management system. The system is being implemented in phases to coincide with press and mailroom reconfiguration projects. The system is designed to track copies and bundles throughout the process and will provide PPG with mailroom control through the use of shop floor data collection and presentation.

Based on Harland Simon’s highly successful PRIMA.net Totalizer and Management Information System, the system is already in use, and on a daily basis automatically shuts down the presses to within a few copies of the requirement.

PPG is in the process of reconfiguring its press lines and as a result has taken the opportunity to change the way its mailroom functions. PPG has removed its former automated conveyor system and has changed the mailroom operation to have manual distribution to the delivery drivers. This new delivery system has two distinct operations for the single copy bundles and the Home delivery pallets. Also a new "gripper conveyor system will replace the old layflat system connecting press hall to the mail room.

The outcome of these changes meant that PPG required a new system for tying the reorganised presses into the mailroom, for providing accurate copy and waste counts and, perhaps most importantly, to provide deterministic control of the mail room whilst enabling fast and flexible delivery of bundles and pallets of newspapers to the correct vehicle at the correct time. Large character displays inform the production team of delivery requirements and drivers enter load information via industrial keypads.

Jeff Latcheran, Project Manager for PPG said, "We chose Harland Simon because they had a well proven, highly functional product which they had the capability of changing to meet our specific needs. To date, we have been impressed with Harland Simon’s quality of work and they have met the tight deadlines which exist on this project."

The system will be completed later in the year in line with PPG’s press upgrade project.

For more information please contact sales@arlandsimon.com

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For more information, please contact sales@harlandsimon.com