STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2001--Pitney Bowes

(NYSE: PBI)

• New W990 helps direct mailers achieve better results with professionally printed envelopes

• Printing logos and promotional messages on mailpieces increases openability

Pitney Bowes (NYSE: PBI), the leader in mailing technology, announced the introduction of the W990 AddressRight(TM) printer from its Global Mailing organization. With graphics capability, this ink jet printer increases the impact of direct mail and boosts mail "openability" by printing addresses and promotional messages directly on envelopes, postcards and self-mailers. Designed for the needs of high volume mailers, the W990 is the latest addition to the company's family of AddressRight(TM) addressing systems.

From 1990 - 1999 direct mail expenditures increased by more than 77% according to the Direct Marketing Association. This critical, cost-effective marketing tool is used by businesses and professionals to find, retain and communicate with customers. But, with the high volumes of marketing mail sent to households (over 65% of the mail volume consumers receive at home), it's hard for them to separate and focus on targeted, attractive offers in the pile. Indeed, a recent U. S. Postal Service (U.S.P.S.) study estimates that over 18% of advertising mail is thrown away unread, presumably because of its unprofessional appearance.

The W990 address printer gives marketers a strong new tool to help them fine-tune their messages and increase customer reach. By printing directly on the envelope, the W990 creates a professional image and it also enables the addition of special messages that attract consumer attention.

"The vast majority of businesses choose direct mail marketing as the best way to reach prospects and customers, and having the right tools to work with will maximize response rates," says Tim Bates, Vice President of Marketing for Pitney Bowes Mailing Systems. "With its ability to print sharp, high resolution images on envelopes, the W990 printer produces the kind of quality mail that lets businesses get the most for their marketing dollars."

The W990 can print in black (up to 600 DPI) or in spot color (up to 300 DPI) on material ranging from a 3.5" x 5" post card to a 13.5" x 17" envelope (up to .375" in thickness). In addition, it can process up to 21,800 #10 envelopes per hour (3 line address at 150 dpi) which makes it ideal for high-volume mailing applications.

And, when used in conjunction with SmartMailer(TM) address management software from Pitney Bowes, the system insures that mail is delivered quickly and accurately. In addition, this CASS certified software makes a variety of presort methods available to companies to help them qualify for postal discounts. So when used with SmartMailer(TM) software, the W990 can print the appropriate Delivery Point Barcode along with the address, presort the mail, and enable mailers to qualify for worksharing discounts of up to 25%. And, with the recent U.S.P.S. postage rate increase, these postal discounts are even more important for companies looking to maximize their marketing budget.

Pitney Bowes Inc. is a $3.9 billion global provider of integrated mail and document management solutions headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The company serves over 2 million businesses of all sizes in more than 130 countries through dealer and direct operations. For more information on Pitney Bowes, visit www.pitneybowes.com.

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