Auth-Florence Named USPS Quality Supplier and Strategic Partner
December 22, 2005
United States Postmaster General, John E. Potter recognized Auth-Florence Manufacturing Company as one of six Quality Suppliers during an award ceremony held on November 7 in Washington, D.C.
Auth-Florence, a subsidiary of Florence Corporation, located in Naperville, IL, has received the award for its dedicated use of best supply chain management practices to provide the USPS with mail delivery and outdoor collection equipment, contributing to the Postal Service -- stated $2.1 billion cost savings over the past five years.
This Quality Supplier Award follows closely on the heels of the Postal Service's recent decision to contract Auth-Florence as a USPS Strategic Partner. After more than a year in development, Auth-Florence was chosen to be the sole provider of Cluster Box Units (CBUs) and Outdoor Parcel Lockers (OPLs) to the USPS. This seven-year renewable contract has been awarded to Auth-Florence for its continuing exemplary ability to provide the highest quality, most cost effective postal products to support the delivery and collection of 89.3 billion pieces of mail to over 700 million addresses.
Auth-Florence recently built a 192,000 square foot facility in Manhattan, KS to support the production of these specialized products. The plant was built to the company's specifications and houses fully automated equipment including an environmentally friendly electrostatic powder coating line, two robotic welding stations and numerous CNC controlled forming and punching stations. This highly efficient, ergonomically designed production facility is capable of producing tens of thousands of CBUs, OPLs and collection boxes in addition to the full line of goods the company already produces to meet the needs of both the commercial market and the USPS.
"All the stakeholders of Florence Corporation are gratified and complimented by the recognition the USPS has bestowed on us," David Dailey, President and CEO of Florence Corporation, stated to the USPS management team. "We will continue to improve our services to the Postal Service to find new and better ways to meet our mutual needs and goals."
The outdoor mail delivery products Auth-Florence provides to the USPS improve the protection of mail and parcels from weather, tampering and other damage, while also enabling more convenient and efficient delivery. CBUs are designed to allow larger mail and parcels to be delivered flat, rather than rolled or folded, and OPLs allow recipients to pick up their packages at their residences, rather than having to go to postal facilities or property management offices.
Auth-Florence currently employs more than 500 people and manufactures a full line of commercial and residential mailboxes and mailbox accessories. The company is certified by Underwriters Laboratory to meet ISO 9001 standards and is the only remaining American manufacturer in the industry whose sole focus is the design, development and production of postal specialty products. Auth-Florence has maintained industry leadership by offering consistently superior product quality and rapid, reliable customer service and technical support through its centralized customer service operation and a network of distributors and sales representatives.
For more information about Auth-Florence products, log on to www.auth-florence.com or contact the company at 5935 Corporate Drive, Manhattan, KS 66503. Phone 800.275.1747. Fax 800.275.5081.
