Lockheed Martin Scores Postal Service Upgrade

The Postal Service will replace its optical imaging cameras and software to improve mail sorting, the second mail systems upgrade in two weeks.

The Postal Service awarded Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Distribution Technologies division a $93 million contract to enhance the read rate of bar codes so that fewer pieces of mail are rejected and more letters can be sorted automatically.

The software upgrade also will let the sorter read two-dimensional Information Base Indicia, including electronic postage generated by computer applications.

The upgrade will let sorters capture an image of the entire envelope instead of only the bottom four inches. Scanning the entire letter will improve the Postal Service's ability to sort mail using the IBI mark.

Lockheed expects to install the system in more than 1,600 sites beginning this summer.

On Dec. 13, Lockheed Martin won a contract to improve the computer reader system that processes letters and packages with handwritten or machine written addresses.