UPDATE: Royal Mail Machineable Mail Specifications Set to Change January 1, 2010

There will be several enhancements to Royal Mail’s machineable mail specification that will be effective January 1, 2010. You will find a summary of the important changes below. Enhancements are:

The enhancements apply to the Letter format of the following services:

1. Mailsort 120 OCR & CBC;
2. Mailsort 700 CBC;
3. Cleanmail OCR & CBC;
4. Cleanmail Plus OCR & CBC;
5. Mailsort Light OCR & CBC and
6. International Bulk Mail Letters (which service PB does not currently offer).

The changes to the automation specification relate to four key areas, as follows:
1. New tolerance for gumming and sealing envelope flaps nearest the right and left edges.
2. New permission to send one-piece-mailers using the OCR variant.
3. New allowance for a circular window on the reverse of the envelope.
4. New permission for perforations and “tear-offs” in the envelope design.

Reference to the MS120 and MS700 chapters of the Mailsort User Guide can be made for full details and design requirements.

Effective March 1, 2010, Royal Mail will be reducing the minimum size for OCR envelopes (for the OCR products listed above). The minimum permitted size will change to 140mm x 90mm from the current permitted size of 140mm x 110mm. Pitney Bowes International Services is advising customers to use the smaller size PPI design of 14mm x 35mm in order to meet the clear zone requirements in the OCR specification.

Please note that specifications for OCR and CBC products have not changed and these enhancements are in addition to the published individual product requirements.

If you have any questions please contact your Pitney Bowes International Services Customer Service Representative or click on the link below.