General manager of Sandy Alexander’s digital division Rob Mayerson said, "This really ended up as a win-win. HP approached us about becoming a beta site just as we had won a client recently that provided us with some challenges from a capacity standpoint—which is a good thing.

"We also had a second win, which required us to print stand-out mail box pieces with a larger sheet size. The size of the sheet and the capabilities it offers will enable us to create a unique format to drive response rates for direct mail." 

The HP Indigo 10000 press is the first B2-format HP Indigo solution and Sandy Alexander indicated it will be complemented by two other digital Indigos, the W7200 web press and standard format 1000 press, already in production at the company’s plant.

Though the company does some wide and grand format work with the advertising agencies in nearby New York City, including outdoor, Mayerson noted the real driver of their business is variable data direct mail.

"The Indigo 10000 can provide a larger format than traditional mailers and will be used primarily for direct mail providing targeted messaging and images specific to a consumer based on lifestyle behavior or purchase activities," he said, adding that the company works in verticals such as cosmetics, fashion, pharmaceuticals and travel.

Though most of its clients are in the Northeast, Mayerson said Sandy Alexander also has large customers in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles and other major US markets. "In some cases its loyalty communications and in others cases it’s acquisition marketing and lead fulfillment and customized lead requests," he said.

"We also do digital, including personalized URLS, landing pages and email campaigns. One example is that we work a lot with the larger cruise lines and they’re not big marketers like Coke, so they rely more on direct mail and personalized messaging."

As evidenced by their recent wins, Sandy Alexander has had an uptick in business lately.  "We are seeing higher marketing budgets as brands have more to spend, but we’re experiencing wins not so much based on the model of volume and break even points and costs, but more about our company being available for targeted messaging," Mayerson said.

"Many of our customers are selling high value products and they realize that because of the higher response rates they get with personalized communications and messaging, that return on investment is easier to substantiate."