Defy the Ooze Through New Laser Labels

No-ooze adhesives have made laser labels more appealing to customers.

In the past, one of the biggest concerns associated with laser labels was whether or not they were going to cause problems when run through laser printers.

"Years ago, when people first started trying to run the labels through some of their laser and inkjet equipment, especially the laser equipment, the heat tended to soften the adhesive which would then migrate out around the edge of label and gum up the internal components in the laser creating quite a mess," said Mark Lemberger, president of Western States Envelope and Label, Butler, Wis.

"There's always been this mentality that laser labels have to contain a border that prevents the adhesive from oozing or that there can only be a 1⁄16˝ of adhesive," said Tony Heinl, vice president of sales and marketing for Repacorp Label Products, Tipp City, Ohio.

"That mentality's been hammered into a lot of different companies' heads. Therefore, they believe that if they switch to a distributor who doesn't offer a laser label with a pattern-coated adhesive, they are going to run into difficulties."

Standing Up to the Heat

But times have changed in the world of laser labels over the past four years with the advent of materials that can withstand the heat generated by laser printers. "There are not many companies that have the capability to produce that type of pattern coat, but the different types of acrylic adhesives that have been brought to the market enable companies like us to continue to use a standard product," said Heinl. "Although the adhesive still extends to the edge of the label, it now holds up better in the heat because of the acrylic, so there's not as much of an oozing problem."

Sales representatives for Western States Envelope and Label promote how their company has circumvented the oozing problem associated with laser labels. "One of the benefits of our laser label line that our sales team emphasizes to customers is that we use permanent, no-ooze adhesives that will not soften and will not migrate out and get inside their machines," said Lemberger.