Businesses learn about mail processing

April 11, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Next Saturday, the consolidations at both the Akron and Toledo U.S. Postal Service processing and distribution centers were to come to fruition.

The final consolidation date of the Toledo processing center, however, has been pushed back.

USPS said the consolidation at Toledo will progress systematically, but the Akron final consolidation date has not been changed.

Troy Seanor, USPS senior plant manager, northern Ohio district, told business representatives at a Friday seminar if there are any issues that come to light when Akron is consolidated to Cleveland, he will rapidly amend the issue. Seanor is responsible for the USPS operations at Akron, Cleveland, Toledo and Youngstown.

“I do have the equipment and the assets to pull it back,” Seanor said. “The issues will come to light real quick.”

Local business representatives attended the Steel Valley Postal Customer Council’s seminar at the Youngstown Post Office to hear about the flow of mail.

Some of the discussion included concerns from businesses about the consolidation of the Youngstown Processing and Distribution Center tentatively slated for July 25. The local consolidation is a part of the plan to consolidate 82 mail-processing centers in 2015. Youngstown and Akron operations will be consolidated to Cleveland, while Toledo’s will go to Detroit.

USPS consolidated 141 mail-processing facilities in 2012 and 2013. The postal service expects those moves to generate an additional $750 million in annual savings.

All of the outgoing mail in Youngstown is processed in Cleveland. The mail processing in Youngstown still is the final sorting step for letters and large envelopes.

“We are not closing and selling off the building,” Seanor said. “We will still have staff that work on platforms in Youngstown.”

Paul Mahin, mailing specialist and print consultant for City Printing in Youngstown, and co-chairman of the Postal Customer Council, is not concerned about the consolidation. He has been given instruction to help adjust to the consolidation. He was told to move up the date to drop off mail a couple of days.