Silkscreened Labels Keep On Selling

With new technology and processes, silkscreened labels continue to hold their own in an ever-changing industry.

Silkscreened labels continue to stand the test of time. Known for their durability and staying power, they have helped users be a little more organized, a lot safer and, as times would have it, more politically aware. Running the gamut from bumper stickers and equipment labels to hard-hat decals and political signs, silkscreened labels remain an important component in the printed products industry.

"Silkscreened labels are generally made for surfaces that are frequently exposed to the elements and that go through regular wear and tear," explained Jim Talion, marketing manager at Adcraft Decals, a label manufacturer based in Independence, Ohio. "They serve a specific purpose and are made to withstand time and abuse."

Talion said that silkscreened labels present a very lucrative market and are worth distributors' attention. "Manufacturing these labels is our specialty, and it has sustained us for more than 40 years," he noted. "The fact that we have been in business for so many years is a testament to the products' profitability."

Bob Roeda, owner and vice president of sales at Roeda Signs & Screentech Imaging, a full-service graphics house based in South Holland, Ill., said that his company produces screen-printed decals, along with a growing influence in the digitally printed arena. "We have a full-service large- and grand-format digital printing facility that is focused on high-resolution point-of-purchase posters and large, solvent-based vinyl banners, mesh banners, decals for varied substrates and vehicle wraps," he said.

Like Talion, Roeda said that the screen-printed label market is very profitable. "Original equipment manufacturers and simple equipment decals are some of the biggest markets today, and they are very lucrative," he said. "There are countless companies that need decals to mark their equipment. Once these accounts are landed, there is a good chance that there will be repeat orders."