FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mail Bombs Highlight Need For Better Mailroom Security

February 21, 2007

Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

A recent string of mail bombs sent to government offices and private companies working with the government has highlighted the need for better mail screening equipment in the UK. The injuries caused by the mail bombs have caused some to call for changes in how mail is handled in the UK. Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public & Commercial Services Union said “. . . we are calling for a risk assessment of post opening in all DVLA offices, as well as an urgent review of post room security across the whole civil service.”

Bombs or biological weapons sent through the public mail system are seen as a worldwide issue. Government offices have been specifically targeted with dangerous materials in the USA, United Kingdom, Hungary, India and Asia Pacific in the last year. Also, many may still remember the 2001 anthrax attacks in the USA that resulted in 5 deaths.

Other industries are also targeted. Recently there have also been multiple mail bomb attacks in the USA on financial institutions. The response to these attacks is to outsource the screening of mail before it is handled by the financial institution’s staff. Most major banks already have incoming mail screened.

There are several options to upgrade the level of mail screening in a government office. The first option is to give additional training on identifying suspicious packages. The second option is to purchase screening equipment that detects metal, explosives or biological agents. The third option is to completely outsource the mail screening process.

Many government agencies, local authorities, NHS Trusts and Universities in the UK have no processes in place to protect their mailroom staff.

This is where, Buyers Guide and its website, www.buyersguide.co.uk, can help the government purchasers and managers now find the right service providers that offer mailroom services. The website is a leading source of companies offering equipment, services and training to government agencies. The offerings include metal detectors, biological testing, training as well as full service outsourcing for the UK market. There is now a specific category on the www.buyersguide.co.uk website of “Mail Screening”.

What makes www.buyersguide.co.uk unique and different from the general internet or print directories is that the details of these thousands of service companies can be updated at any time with breaking news of relevant successes like new contract wins, new technologies, or patents awarded. Additionally, to tailor each message to public sector buyers, Buyers Guide offers each company a “profile” on the www.buyersguide.co.uk website. This profile is written to answer the pre-qualification questions from public sector buyers. This usually includes information like; previous work with government bodies, case studies of past successes, years in business, industry qualifications or certifications like ISO 9002, testimonials from clients, government awards like investors in people, confirmation of equal opportunity employer status and specific contact details.

Government purchasing officers are incredibly busy and need to find the right service vendors quickly. The Buyers Guide profiling system allows them to do just that. With 2 clicks of the mouse, they can easily find qualified vendors in their area.

There are over 5,000 company listings in 1,200 categories on the www.buyersguide.co.uk website. The companies listed range from family businesses to multinationals, but all have the goal of working on public sector contracts. The public sector bodies regularly using the Buyers Guide website include central government, regional and local authorities, DfES, NHS, Universities, Ministry of Defence, social enterprises and government supported non-profit organizations.

Contact:

Gerry O'Rouke
Buyers Guide
0191 260 5388
0191 221 2287
gerry@buyersguide.co.uk
www.buyersguide.co.uk

Company History

Buyers Guide, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, was established in 1996 and is the leading online directory of UK companies that are targeting the £600 billion in public spending each year. To date, there are over 5,000 company listings in 1,200 categories on the www.buyersguide.co.uk website.