Celebrating National Print Day and the Logistics Behind Successful Direct Mail

It’s National Print Day, and we pause to appreciate something that’s easily taken for granted: the power of print !!!  It’s tactile. It’s personal. It cuts through the noise in an inbox-filled world. But for print producers, mailers, and marketers alike, marketing by print is only as good as the journey it takes to reach the recipient. At Direct Logistics, our philosophy is simple: great print marketing deserves great delivery. To honor this day, here’s how we see the future of print + mail — and how we’re positioning ourselves as the backbone of its logistics.

The Print Industry’s Silent Partner: Logistics

Print houses and direct mail producers know their craft: paper, ink, finishing, segmentation. But behind every successful campaign is a complex logistics puzzle: how to get pallets of mail from your plant to the USPS network efficiently, affordably, and predictably.

While many celebrate the artistry of the printed piece on National Print Day, we spotlight what happens after print: the physical movement of mail — because poorly executed logistics can turn a beautiful campaign into a broken promise.

Why SCF Entry Still Works for Marketing Mail

With the USPS moving away from NDC (Network Distribution Center) entry in many contexts, SCF (Sectional Center Facility) destination entry mail has emerged as the most effective route for print + mail producers to maintain speed, cost control, and reliability.

• Closer induction: Entering mail at the SCF level means fewer transit miles, fewer touch points, and less chance for delay.

• Postage efficiency: You retain powerful postage discount potential without compromising delivery performance.

• Delivery consistency: With fewer steps, there are fewer chances for variance — critical for campaign timing.

For printers and mailers, that translates directly into happier clients, stronger margins, and fewer “where’s my mail?” calls.

LTL Freight Beats Legacy Consolidation

Historically, many in the direct mail world leaned on consolidators or comminglers to pool freight and qualify for discounts. But those middle-man models often introduce unseen costs: extra handling, dwell time, lost visibility, and scheduling delays. We see a better path: direct LTL freight from plant to SCF entry…

• It’s faster — your freight moves when you’re ready, not when someone else’s load fills up.

• It’s transparent — tracking and status updates flow end-to-end, not just hand-off to a third party.

• It’s less touch — fewer transfers equals fewer opportunities for mistake or delay.

• It’s cost-smart — by pruning the unnecessary steps, you retain more of your margin.

That approach aligns with how modern USPS wants mail to move: fewer hops, more precision, stronger predictability.

Direct Logistics Is Built for Print + Mail

On National Print Day, we don’t just celebrate print — we affirm our commitment to making its delivery stronger. Here’s how we do it:

• Deep postal & freight know-how: We speak both languages — postal logistics and commercial LTL — so your mail is never treated like generic freight.

• Optimized LTL carrier network: We partner with top regional and national LTL carriers that understand SCF routes and priority mail handling.

• Real-time dispatch & tracking: Through our Direct Logistics Platform (DLP), you get instant quotes, tendering, and visibility — everything in one system.

• Adaptable for USPS evolution: As USPS continues to roll out its Delivering for America plan (including RPDC expansions and shifting logistics regions), we evolve our routing and networks to match — ensuring your mail doesn’t get left behind.

• Dedicated support for mailers: Our teams understand print run cycles, tight deadlines, zone maps, postal entry rules — everything that matters to your business.

On National Print Day, Let’s Recommit to Mail That Matters

Marketing mail is more than a medium — it’s a promise of presence, and of substance. But that promise is only kept when each piece arrives in a home, on schedule, undamaged, and on point.

So yes — on National Print Day, we celebrate printers, creatives, and the magic of ink on paper. But we also spotlight the silent logistics engine behind it all. Because no matter how beautiful the print, its impact depends on that last mile, that final induction, and precise handling from plant to permit to entry to home.

If you’re a printer, mailer, direct mail producer or direct mail owner, our expertise in mail-as-freight and SCF destination entry logistics can help you streamline costs, speed delivery, and elevate every printed campaign you produce. Let’s connect today!

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Give us a shout today: sales@directlogistics.com