“CPI continues to focus on our commitment to meeting high standards for customer service”

What new developments did you introduce at recent G2E show?
Among the products on the CPI booth was the new MEI SCR banknote recycling device, which will soon launch within the German AWP market.

In Germany, where machines can only be played on with cash, the SCR allows operators to achieve greater efficiency, more security and lower operating costs.  It combines the performance and reliability of SC Advance technology with the benefits of two-denomination note recycling as part of a total cash management solution.

The SCR is equipped with the same acceptor head as the one used by the proven SC note acceptor platform, of which there are more than 1.5 million units installed globally.  The two recycling drums utilize technology from MEI’s 4-denomination BNR (Bank Note Recycler) and 1-denomination VNR (Vending Note Recycler). 

This modularity provides a long-term road map for SCR to grow as a platform.  Beyond its initial release, product extensions such as the BNF (Bunch Note Feeder), EASITRAX Soft Count cash management system and larger cash boxes will expand its applicability to the wide range of market segments that CPI serves.

What have you make the show and how was the public feedback?
G2E is one of the largest gaming trade shows of the year.  Operators, OEMs and regulators come from all over the world to attend.  It provides an important platform from which to share and evolve our knowledge of the industry.

We were very pleased by the number of attendees this year – confidence in the industry appears to be growing, despite the uncertainty that naturally results from a change such as consolidation.

Crane purchased MEI in December 2013. What has been the impact of such an acquisition so far?
Though we’ve introduced our new name and logo at several other trade shows this year, our booth at G2E really highlighted the progress we’ve made toward integration – and the level of stability we’ve achieved.  CPI capitalized on synergies between Crane and MEI to deliver more value to our customers.  We welcomed many visitors to our booth eager to learn about our new-found capabilities, and we received a large amount of positive feedback.

As a result of the acquisition, our customers now have the convenience of choosing from the largest portfolio of payment systems and cash management solutions in the industry – allowing us to support many diverse markets, applications and operator needs with complete solutions.  To demonstrate this, we exhibited several of our leading note acceptors – Ardac Elite, CashCode one, CashCode one 3000 and SC Advance, as well as a range of coin hoppers and acceptors, the EASITRAX Web cash management system and our new SCR note recycler.

But CPI is more than just products.  Our experts ensure technology is implemented properly and then search for ways to deliver even more value. Our goal is to set a new standard – driving transaction, asset and maintenance efficiencies into customers’ operations by exceeding both expressed and latent needs.

What are the main markets for your company?
With offices on six continents and a broad network of distributors, CPI offers the critical scale and local market expertise to provide best-in-class support wherever our customers, and their games, are located.  Our global capabilities, coupled with the performance and reliability of our products, has resulted in leadership positions in a wide array of Gaming markets and geographies.  Our products have been specified in Latin American gaming halls, European AWP operations, Canadian VLT networks and casino markets around the world.

What are your plans for the near future?
CPI continues to focus on our commitment to meeting our high standards for customer service.  Our people have been extensively trained on all our products, and our customers need only go to a single salesperson to place orders – whether they want an MEI solution, a Crane solution or a mixture of both. 

Internally, integration continues to make doing business as easy for us as it is for our customers.  Once our associates can use a single computer system to place and track orders for all of our products, we will have reached our aspiration for what CPI can become as a unified company.