Get Into Integrated Labels

New applications mean a healthy future for these form/label combinations

By Misty Byers

While pharmacy and warehouse operations still top the list of integrated label users, new applications are emerging.

For example, because of the greater number of adhesive options available, Greg Herzog, sales service supervisor for GBF Graphics, Skokie, Ill., has begun selling integrated label applications for laboratory environments.

"When integrated labels were new, the adhesives were pretty much all designed for shipping and envelope-type applications. But now we have a lot more variety, and that allows for a greater number of applications to be satisfied," Herzog explained.

Another emerging opportunity for integrated label sales, according to Elinor White, marketing director of label systems, Moore North America, Bannockburn, Ill., is through a company's marketing department.

"We have a customer who is doing invoicing and pick-pack documents that are being paid for by the marketing department," said White, explaining how Moore has added coupons and advertisements to some of its integrated label products.

"When a company ships an order, the invoice goes directly to the consumer," White noted. "All of sudden that gives marketing the opportunity to do a direct mail message—putting the message directly in the hands of the buyer. Traditional direct mail can't do that."

This provides a great opportunity for value-added features such as color and higher-end graphics.

"We're now doing integrated documents with photographs on them, and that takes a much higher resolution and a better print quality," said White. "You won't see photos on thermal integrated, but you will certainly see them on some of the high-speed laser integrated documents."

Finally, distributors can expect an increase in demand for thermal integrated label products.

"The laser printer is more of a front-end office-type of printer—integrated labels on bond paper don't work particularly well in a manufacturing environment," White explained. "In addition, for many pick-and-pack applications, the life of the form doesn't have to be very long—usually just 24 hours—so direct thermal works very well.