"Since 1959, Delivering Profit through Newspaper Packaging Innovations"


Issue 9

Where Do We Change the Production Cycle?

An automated packaging system that is reliable, durable and simple to operate can provide ready-to-deliver papers to dealers who need as many as 12,000 papers for the carrier force. Without the burden of hectic and difficult preparation work, the carriers can give better delivery and possibly throw larger routes – a change that would increase their income and improve ergonomics.
Reducing the ergonomic load on a carrier & helpers from three hours to three minutes should be a goal worthy of newspaper management's full attention.

Automation just prior to delivery creates the possibility of offering advertisers new opportu- nities for exposure.

Automation of the cycle just prior to delivery also creates the possibility of offering advertisers new opportunities for exposure.

A packaging system using BIG STUFF® Feeders for large paper input could onsert four to six insert-filled newspaper sections, plastic bag, or wrap and seal an average carrier route (300 newspapers) in three minutes. A metropolitan Sunday paper route of 300 newspapers (each weighing 2 to 5 pounds) would require two to three man-hours to accomplish the same job.

Consider these general costs and cycle times:

  • Carriers typically receive 8 to 12 cents per paper for preparing and delivering the newspaper. On average, a carrier spends half his time on preparation work.
  • On days when the newspaper weighs more or includes additional sections, the carrier could receive incentive pay for the extra workload.
  • What if the ergonomic load on the carrier and any helpers could be significantly reduced? And what if that person's preparation time could be cut from three hours to three minutes? Wouldn't that be a goal worthy of newspaper management's full attention? Do the math: the direct monetary return on investment would more than pay for itself.


Now consider who paid for the inserts – the advertisers – and their desire to receive maximum exposure.
How can newspapers best satisfy these expectations?

By giving as many newspaper readers as possible the opportunity to see the advertising inserts. You don’t have to sacrifice maximum exposure in order to improve ergonomic issues related to manual assembly of completes. Instead, newspapers can retain the benefits they offer advertisers by interleaving the inserts in the ROP sections.

(Read New Business Model.)