A tried and true product thrives amidst myriad new applications
By Maggie DeWitt
In Response to our online, streamlined society, the forms and labels industry has produced myriad new and improved products. But when customers need to transpose or match up information as efficiently as possible, the choice is cleargo piggyback.
The piggyback construction refers to the method of putting a label to be imprinted onto a form, so it can be removed and re-applied elsewhere. The construction feeds into the prevailing preference for converting multi-part forms to single-part, integrated forms. Designed to increase efficiency and minimize errors, selling opportunities exist in every industry.
"A big market for us is in hospitals and nursing homes," stated Steve Mandell, sales manager of Garland, Texas-based Metro Label. He explained that piggyback labels are used to promote accuracy in identifying lab work, labeling medications and tracking inventorywhich generates more accurate billing. "Staff can remove the inventory control label from chargeable items and attach it right to a patient's chart."
Another big market is direct mail, "especially for coupons, subscriptions, rebates and membership cards" said Metro Label's John Abbott, vice president of sales. "Labels are also a cheap way to advertise."
For example, a phone company that previously used a full sheet-sized label with a special die cut to advertise savings on long distance dialing can now use regular postal-card stock and blow-on a small label to save on manufacturing costs and materials," Abbott explained.
And since you can use any material for the label, attractive foils and holograms can be used to create attractive mailers.
A growing trend for piggyback labels used in direct mail is to employ high-impact, high-end graphics. "You're seeing more four-color process work and flexo printing, more graphics as opposed to simple bar codes and numerals," said Mandell. Creating interest and attracting attention to the marketing message increases the chances the mailer will be successful.
"Piggyback labels can add value to any industry or market," stated Steve Knoll, president of USAdocufinish, Medina, Ohio, "especially health-care, pharmaceuticals, distribution, manufacturing and direct mail."
According to Knoll, "The market for piggyback labels is still very strong and should remain so for quite some time, especially for short to medium runs. When you get into long runs, integrated labels are perhaps more practical since they eliminate two pieces of material."