Don't gloss over the importance of these strong sellers
By Carol Katarsky
Laminated labels continue to play a big role in distributors' sales. Chemical-, water- and wear-resistant, the applications for these labels are obviousbut durability isn't the only attraction the products offer.
"Lamination can also be used to achieve a high gloss, which can enhance the appearance of simple items, such as business cards," noted Michael Stoeck, product marketing manager at New Century, Kansas-based Stouse.
"Laminating the label lends a premium look, as compared to plain-paper labels with varnish," agreed Lynn Zima, sales and marketing supervisor, Atlas Tag & Label, Neenah, Wis. She noted that laminated labels are valuable in any market. "It's a good item for applications where you want information to remain intact and not be tampered with. These products are not going awaythere's always a need for hand-written labels that can be self-laminated for protection."
Terry Flaherty, president, Label Art, Wilton, N.H., said that some of the most common applications for laminated labels are equipment identification and displaying warranty or service information. Parking permits for organizations such as schools, condos and health clubs are also commonly laminated to protect the face from cleaning solvents and moisture.
One of the biggest uses for laminated products is as prime labelsa traditional flexo-printed overlaminated label adhered directly to a finished product. "Specific kinds of lamination are good for labels likely to be exposed to condensation, such as on a milk bottle," said Stoeck.
While margins on these labels are healthyranging from 30 percent to 50 percent on most ordersStoeck pointed out that distributors can increase their profits by selling value-added features such as multi-color or four-color process printing on the labels, as well as special die cuts or other personalization. He also recommended maximizing margins by setting up a sales program to generate repeat orders.
- Companies:
- Label Art
- Stouse LLC