CIMA USA, a global manufacturer of cash handling solutions, has seen a recent surge of interest in our self-sealing stacking bag technology.
Our range of smart safes and cash recycling systems stack and then seal notes in a secure plastic bag inside the machine. This innovative process eliminates traditional cassettes that require manual processing at the customer site.
Vik Devjee, Vice President of CIMA Cash Handling America, shared his observations as stay-at-home orders gradually lifted across the U.S. “Companies and retailers are cautiously reopening their businesses after the COVID-19 shut-down. There is an intense focus on hygiene, particularly around the handling of money. That has led to very high interest not only in our cash handling machines but in the solutions that incorporate the stacking bag technology in particular.
“We are seeing significant interest from cash in transit (CIT) companies, who traditionally place smart safes or recyclers at their retail customer locations,” says Vik. “Stacking bag technology is facilitating more notes per pickup and a much faster pickup turnaround. CIT’s are telling us notes are easier to manage back at the depot too.”
CIMA’s self-sealing stacking bag system launched in 2014 with a primary focus on security, efficiency, and ease of use. The self-sealing system reduces the possibility of human error or shrink. It also streamlines the CIT process, saving time and labor. The smart safes can accept bundles of notes and process them at a rate of six notes per second. The sealed bag is ready to be transported once removed from the machine, and the bag swap-over process, which can be done by internal staff, is quick. That means the CIT guard can simply arrive, pickup, and leave.
“In traditional cash recyclers or smart safes, there is a lot of handling and touching of money and components,” Vik explains. “The cash cassettes need to be opened. The cash must be removed and then bundled. Finally, it must be packed into secure transport bags while another employee supervises. That’s a lot of contact, not to mention the time and human resources. On top of that, cassettes are bulky, expensive, and prone to breakage.”
Businesses that are reopening face significant challenges, including reduced staff and razor-thin margins. With concerns still elevated about COVID-19, retailers and managers are looking for solutions incorporating hygiene and sanitation while maximizing returns on investments. CIMA cash recyclers and smart safes with SSSB technology can address many of these issues for cash-intensive businesses.
“I strongly believe that cash will still be a significant part of the economy,” Vik says. “There are millions of underbanked or unbanked consumers who transact in notes and coins. Shutting them out of the economic recovery would be a mistake. This system is the perfect choice for retailers of any size who want to provide safety and automation for their customers and staff in a post-COVID-19 world.”
