Australia Post has opened a new stamp factory that can produce almost 4 million stamps per day.

A spokesperson told ProPrint that the purpose-built Melbourne site produced and distributed stamps, coins and Express Post envelopes.

"Each day, the facility is able to produce around 1.2 million gummed stamps and 2.5 million self-adhesive stamps on rolls. Gummed stamps are printed on sheets, with each sheet typically containing 200 stamps and a pallet of stamp sheets containing 800,000 stamps."

Stamp concepts are developed 12-18 months ahead of schedule; each new issue is then generally produced for five, 11 or 14 months, said the spokesperson.

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"The longer cycles allow us to balance printing and production workloads close to the issue date.

"They also enable us to produce instant stamp issues, stamp packs and collectables for special events or occasions – such as the Olympics, Black Caviar’s retirement or the birth of the Royal baby – without impacting issue dates for pre-planned issues."

The 93-staff factory was officially opened on 15 August, six weeks after it started operating. The previous facility, in Knoxfield, opened in 1991, the spokesperson told ProPrint.

"The new site is modern and contains leading-edge design features. It has extra warehouse and dispatch floor space, and will reduce our energy consumption and carbon emissions.

"We have also moved from operating across three buildings at Knoxfield into a single, purpose-built site in Rowville which will help improve efficiencies."

Australia Post declined to reveal what machines are used to produce the stamps.

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