Out-of-Spec Inserts

Inserts with the following characteristics may pose problems for machine insertion. Please check with your sales representative and arrange to test these inserts for production capability before placing an insertion order.

• Non-rectangular; tri-fold; or die-cut, special-shape inserts. Accordion folds cannot be accommodated.
• Inserts of inconsistent thickness (non-uniform thickness or a lump in an insert, pre-stuffed inserts).
• Inserts that stick together and do not separate consistently.
• Insert pages that are glued, stapled, stitched, perforated or perfect bound.
• Objects such as keys, coins, CDs, etc., attached to any page of an insert; sachets containing scented objects; liquids or shampoos; polybags; paper bags; product samples.
• Inserts for direct mail or total market coverage (TMC) must be submitted for testing and for checking postal regulations prior to acceptance for insertion.

Some of these out-of-spec inserts may be accepted as product samples and may be hand inserted in the field by carriers at an additional cost.

Polybags/Newsbags from Advertisers (bags for or with product sample)
If use of polybags for daily publications is approved by the publisher, the bag size should be 21" x 8" for daily publication and 23" x 10" for Sunday publication. The thickness of the bag material must not be less than 1.5 mil. The color of the bags is critical and should be checked with the publisher. For example, avoid white bags on snow days. Bags with product samples must be checked with publishers’ representatives and should be tested prior to acceptance.

Required Pad
For inserts meeting these guidelines, and a draw order of less than 25,000 copies to be inserted per zone, the pad should be a minimum of 500 copies to cover machine setup, waste and damages. For draw orders of 25,000 to 250,000 copies per zone, the pad should be a minimum of 2% of the draw order. For a draw order of more than 250,000 copies to be inserted per zone, the pad should be a minimum of 5000 copies. A higher-percentage pad may be required for out-of-specification inserts, especially for single-sheet inserts and inserts printed on lightweight papers. Check with your sales representative.

Lead Time and Deadlines
Please check with your sales representative for information on meeting delivery schedules and machine-insertion deadlines.

Shipping and Delivery Requirements
Pallets must be loaded, labeled and shipped in accordance with the current ANSI standard CGATS.7-2003–Graphic technology, Pallet Loading for Printed Materials. A copy of the standard can be obtained from NPES Website: http://www.npes.org/doc/StandardsOrderForm.doc. Printers must follow this standard. If pallets are not loaded in accordance with the ANSI standard, the inserts they contain will be prone to damage during shipment and storage. If damage occurs, additional handling fees may be charged to advertisers to cover increased production costs. Reduced coverage will also result due to a higher rate of waste and increased misses and multiple feeds.

Highlights of the ANSI Standards Requirements

• Maximum height of a loaded pallet should be 5 ft. and maximum weight 2,500 lb. Each pallet should include corner pieces and a board on the top; pallets must be cross-tied
• Use standard-size pallets (skid with four-way entry and bottom deck) such as 45" x 45" or 42" x 42"
• Individual turns (column of identical products stacked in the same direction) should be a minimum 6" in height and should not exceed 12" in height measured at the lowest point of the turn. All inserts in a turn must have the folded edge facing the same direction and the same top page facing up. Turns should be brick-piled.

Note: If product can be stacked "face down," the feeder will be able to remove, condition and feed product without flipping product over. Product will drop face up in jacket.

• Each pallet load should carry at least two pallet tags, which should be attached to the product, positioned inside the stretch or shrink-wrapping and visible from two adjacent sides of the pallet.
• The pallet tag should contain details of the load and the inserts, including name of the insert, date of publication, the pallet number of the total (i.e., "pallet no. x of xx pallets"), quantity of inserts on the pallet, addressee, printer name and address, etc. Please see the ANSI standard for more detail and a picture of a well-organized pallet tag.
• A copy of the insert contained in the pallet load should be displayed next to each pallet tag.
• A bill of lading should accompany the insert shipment and indicate the number of pallets shipped, as well as the total quantity of inserts and their insertion date(s).

Compliance with Published Guidelines
Success of insert distribution programs depends on taking advantage of the capabilities of the inserting machinery and recognizing certain restrictions. Following these Recommended Guidelines can reduce conditions that might interfere with the accurate delivery of inserts.

Glossary of Terms

Broadsheet: It is the largest size page that can be printed on the press. There is no standard size of the page as it depends on the width of the newsprint roll used and press cutoff size. A common single page broadsheet dimension (not folded) is approximately 12 ½" wide by 21" deep. The text on a broadsheet is aligned in the direction of the web motion as it is printed. One broadsheet page equals two tabloid pages.

Kraft Jacket: A single or multiple-page kraft paper cut and folded as newspaper product designated for use as a container or cover for the inserts or other newspaper products. Typically, jackets must have unequal dimensions around the tabloid fold so that they can be opened mechanically to receive inserts.

Insert: Also known as "Free-Standing Insert," ad insert, or commercial insert. A printed advertising product that contains no editorial content and is distributed by a newspaper. It does not include sections or products printed by a newspaper as a part of its editorial product.

Jacket: Any single-page or multiple-page folded newspaper product—such as preprinted section(s), comics, kraft page, or main section—designated for use as a container or cover for the inserts or other newspaper products. Typically, jackets must have unequal dimensions around the tabloid fold so that they can be opened mechanically to receive inserts.

Misses: Intended inserts that are not delivered by a hopper to a newspaper package during an inserting process. It is an error and a fault of the machine hopper.

Multiples: Two or more identical inserts delivered by a hopper to a newspaper package during an inserting process. It is an error and a fault of the machine hopper.

Pad: Additional quantity of inserts necessary to compensate for damaged and/or out of spec inserts and distribution variances such as single copy returns.

Page: For inserting operations, a page usually means a tabloid-size page rather than a broadsheet size. Two tabloid pages equal one broadsheet page. There are no fixed rules to describe insert packages. It is important to be aware of the dimensions whenever page quantities are being discussed.

Pallet: A platform used to stack and transport printed products, designed for handling with hand trucks, forklift trucks, and other handling equipment. A pallet looks like a skid, but is sturdier, since it has both a top and a bottom deck. A traditional skid has only a top deck. A pallet can be accessed from all four sides by a forklift or a pallet truck. A skid may be accessed only from two sides.

Repairs: The method of correcting misses in a package during the inserting process, by either manual or mechanical means.

Sample: Generally, a small consumer product distributed to households free of charge to them.

Single Sheet: A one-page newspaper insert, usually letter size (8 ½ "x 11").

Tabloid (TAB): A publication format with a single page dimension of one half that of a broadsheet page. A common single page tabloid dimension is approximately 10 ½" wide by 12 ½" deep. The text on a broadsheet is aligned perpendicular to the direction of the web motion as it is printed. 2 tabloid pages equal one broadsheet page.

Total Market Coverage (TMC): A strategy in which an advertiser distributes an advertising product to every household in an area. For a newspaper, it means being able to deliver an insert to subscribers as well as non-subscribers in a particular zone.

Zone: A geographic region in which a newspaper can provide or exclude distribution. It can be used to identify a large, multiple-ZIP-code area (such as ROP zone), or a small geographic area (such as a sub-ZIP-code zone or a microzone)