Mailcom becomes first UK customer for VarioStream 8000 and chooses Océ to develop colour strategy

Brentwood, Essex – 4 January 2008– Massive expansion and a need for a colour specialist partner have led to Mailcom agreeing a £4million investment in Océ state-of-the-art digital technology. Mailcom has become the first company in the UK to sign up for four Océ´s VarioStream 8650 high-volume, continuous feed mono printing systems and has also purchased three Océ VarioPrint 5160 cutsheet printing systems. In addition, the communications outsourcing specialist has upgraded its twinline Océ VarioStream 7200 printing system to a super-fast Océ VarioStream 7450.  

Now Mailcom has chosen Océ to develop its colour strategy – and in 2008 expects to purchase Océ’s JetStream 2200 colour system, which was unveiled in Germany on December 5.

Print capacity has increased by 450% for rapidly-expanding Mailcom, which produces 250million mono images a year. The company has sites in Milton Keynes, and Boldon, near Newcastle, as well as having offices in London. It specialises in business critical and transactional mail as well as other data management and contact centre services.  Clients include many FTSE 100 companies across a wide range of market sectors, including financial services, utilities and mobile telecommunications.

Company CEO Neil Shotton said: “These machines are fantastic and are by far the best in class. The Océ 8650s are a step change up in the market, not only because of the quality of output, speed, design and build but also because they are opening the doors to colour. Océ was the most innovative partner – that was a big tick in the box. 

“The process for us selecting Océ went on for six months. We needed to fulfil our immediate needs but we were looking for a partner, not only to fulfil the immediate requirements but also provide us with a route map to take us into colour. Océ has shown us its colour capabilities – this is a terrific fit. We also wanted a business solution that was future proof. We see this being met by the Océ JetStream 2200 full colour system, which we should take up next year.”

Shotton´s father Eddie, the chairman and managing director of Mailcom, founded the company in 1982, sold it to a South Africa media company in 1997 before regaining control through NewLogic Group in a management buyout in September 2006. He said: “We have had a working relationship with Océ for 15 years, but commercially it was the best decision and Océ was the best partner. NewLogic Group’s turnover has been doubling every year since 2003, and our growth is set to continue next year, particularly since we have recently won major contract work in financial services and telecommunications markets. This investment will increase our print capacity by 450%.”

Craig Nethercott, Océ UK´s Sector Director, Production Printing, said: “This is a massive statement about Océ´s recognised growing force as the best-in-class colour provider, as well as our long-established reputation as a world-leading digital printing systems and software provider to the monochrome market. Mailcom has some impressive growth credentials, and we are delighted to be selected as its chosen partner to take it into the world of colour.” 

The Océ VarioStream 8000 family is now available in the US and Europe. It will be available worldwide beginning in the first quarter of 2008.

For further information, please contact:  

Océ (UK) Ltd: Colin Harding (Shaw Communications)
+44 7730 435400, pressoffice@oce.com  

About Océ
Océ is one of the world's leading providers of document management and printing for professionals. The broad Océ offering includes office printing and copying systems, high speed digital production printers and wide format printing systems for both technical documentation and colour display graphics. Océ is also a foremost supplier of document management outsourcing. Many of the world’s Fortune 500 companies and leading commercial printers are Océ customers. The company was founded in 1877. With headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands, Océ is active in around 100 countries and employs some 23,000 people worldwide. Total revenues in 2008 amounted to €2.9 billion. Océ is listed on Euronext in Amsterdam. For more information on Océ, visit the corporate website www.oce.com