Commercial Mailboxes are Showcasing New Identity as 21st Century Begins

The commercial mailbox industry has begun to take on a new face which has been driven by end users, industry manufacturers and the U.S. Postal Service. End users wanted mailboxes that more clearly reflected the today’s mail. That meant larger tenant doors, and more parcel lockers first and foremost. Commercial mailbox manufacturers and the Postal Service were more than happy to deliver a wide range of centralized mail receptacles that provided these necessary features for the end user.  The other overriding issues that came to a head in the industry were the security of the mail once delivered due to the rise in identity theft. Commercial mailbox manufacturers and the USPS responded aggressively with two centralized mail receptacles commonly called cluster box units and 4C mailboxes which enhanced security of the mail in pedestal mailboxes and receptacles for wall installations.

Cluster Box Units Significantly Upgraded the Security and Functionality of Pedestal Mailboxes

Cluster box units were developed by a collaboration of the USPS and the commercial mailbox manufacturers to replace Neighborhood & Delivery Collection Box Units. The cluster box units featured larger standard tenant door sizes, secure outgoing mail, integrated package lockers and significantly enhanced security. These enhancements to the pedestal cluster mailboxes came with additional costs to the consumers which provided some initial resistance but eventually subsided due to the fact that the cluster box was a better receptacle. Cluster boxes have evolved in recent years to an even more secure design and the addition of decorative accessories to provide the marketplace with an even more attractive pedestal mailbox.

4C Mailboxes Improved Mail Delivery in Many Facets

The 4C horizontal mailbox came about due to the enactment of USPS-STD-4C postal regulation in 2006 for wall installation mail receptacles. The 4C mailbox provided the commercial mailbox marketplace with a more robust receptacle, larger resident doors, self-contained parcel lockers, and secure outgoing mail. In addition, the 4C mailbox allowed end users a wide range of customization options so they could better accommodate their clients.  All of these reasons previously sighted with the addition of additional mounting options have made the introduction of the 4C mailbox a smashing success. Many commercial mailbox industry insiders believe the 4C horizontal mailbox may eventually replace the cluster box unit as the preferred pedestal mailbox.

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