From thermal-transfer applications to value-added designs, tags are hanging on in changing times.
From price tags to parking tickets, opportunities abound for the alert distributor in the arena of tags and tickets.
Although basic products are still available, manufacturers report growth markets in specific categories, such as thermal-transfer tags and more durable products. "We've seen growth mostly in thermal-transfer tags, such as those pre-printed with the customer's logo for end-user variable imaging," said Dale Jacoby, Badger Tag & Label, Random Lake, Wis.
Although Jacoby noted that the company has seen some drop in sales that was not anticipated, he said that Badger's sales are up 8.6 percent over 2002.
Variable Imaging Up
"We're doing more variable imaging, consecutive bar coding and human-readable imaging," Jacoby said. Badger's electronic imprintable tags allow end-users to incorporate a bar code and logo on high-quality stock, which can be imprinted with specific data by the end-user via laser, thermal, ink-jet or dot matrix printers.
Stylecraft Business Forms & Systems, Rochester Hills, Mich., has also seen a jump in variable imaging, although overall sales of tags and tickets have remained about the same the last three years, according to Andrea Pesci-Jones, executive vice president.
Scratch-off/reveal tickets have also experienced growth, according to Pesci-Jones. Applications include retail coupons and the more familiar contest products. "For a marketing tool, we have designed scratch-off tickets with discounts for both our offset and flexo plants," she said.
Rewards include discounts of up to 15 percent on new orders, free shipping, free composition or dollar discounts up to $100. The tickets, distributored in person or by mail, "not only encourage new business, but they also help show our capabilities," Pesci-Jones noted.
The largest growth area is in direct thermal and thermal-transfer tag stock, said Cynthia Fetzer-Alessi, customer service manager at Stylerite Label Corporation, Stylecraft's sister company. "We do a lot of tag products for manufacturers—coated on one side, either direct thermal or thermal-transfer, usually perfed with a notch or black bar for scanning," she said.
Larger sizes are not uncommon, Fetzer-Alessi said. One application for a Chicago retailer called for a 15˝ wide by 11˝ deep multi-part hang-tag, perfed horizontally and vertically with circle die cuts.
Another application required a 16x12˝ pressure-sensitive tag printed with a diagram and instructions to be affixed to the product. The tag was overlaminated for protection.
As has been the case with forms products, basic tag and ticket product sales have declined over the past few years, while value-added products have held steady or increased in sales, according to F. Paul Valenti, Jr., president of Chicago Tag & Label. "At Chicago Tag & Label, we strive to be flexible and work to enhance our capabilities so that we are ahead of market demand with innovative ideas," Valenti said.
Tough Tags
For example, the Libertyville, Illinois-based manufacturer wanted to improve the conventional reinforced tag design of metal eyelets. Using modified manufacturing techniques, Chicago Tag & Label can now create a synthetic patch in virtually any size or shape that will adhere to a variety of materials, including Valeron.
The new product provides superior strength, flexibility of design and a water-resistant adhesive for all-weather durability. The tough tags may also be directly printed with variable imaging, including high-quality bar codes.
Finding Solutions
In one automotive parts tracking application, existing paper tags were being separated from their respective parts. "It was causing frustration on the part of dealers and customers, as well as creating a loss in revenue," Valenti commented. Chicago Tag & Label worked with the customer to create a reinforced tag that "not only had superior strength, but also withstood harsh environments and rough handling—a revolutionary idea," he said.
Standard reinforced tags tend to jam when run through a thermal printer, but last year, Chicago Tag & Label innovatively developed a reinforced tag (patent pending) that lays flat while running through the printer and then folds to create a strong reinforcement.
Tag/label combinations are also possible, as Jacoby noted. Badger Tag & Label developed a thermal-transfer printable tag/pressure-sensitive label combination for an end-user in the steel industry.
The Badger-Tuff tag utilized Valeron with an adhesive and, in combination with the label, provides versatility of use with a cost savings over separate tag and label products. The end-user needed a pressure-sensitive label to adhere directly to the finished products but also needed to run a steel band through a tag, either on one end attached to products or through both ends attached to loads.
"No matter what the particular load was, the customer could use one product. Both slots could be used for banding, one slot for a wire or the adhesive," Jacoby said. "It's an awesome idea and works really well," he observed. "It's tear-resistant and very durable."
The Badger-Tuff stock is UV-stabilized, waterproof and chemical-resistant, withstands temperatures from 220 degrees to minus 70 degrees F and is puncture- and tear-resistant. It can be diecut, scored, perfed, glued and printed in up to four colors. Possible applications for Badger-Tuff include manufacturing, shipping, nursery tags, membership cards, promotional items, sew-in tags and sling tags.
"One area we'd like to see grow is multi-part manifold tags," Jacoby said. "Maybe people just don't know where to go for that product."
Multi-part manifold tags are ideal for manufacturing and shipping applications, for quality control or whenever both an original and copies are needed in different areas. Manifold tags can be printed in two to four parts on NCR paper or with carbon interleaf, bar coded, perfed, slotted, laminated and reinforced.
Repeat Orders
Manufacturers agree that it's extremely worthwhile for distributors to pursue tag and ticket applications. "They're very good repeat orders," Pesci-Jones commented.
Jacoby concurred, saying, "The majority are functional tags used in the process of manufacturing or to provide a warning. They're used on products made daily, so it's a nice order to get. When it's unique, they can't just get it off the shelf."
Get the Whole Story
Valenti advised, "To be successful, distributors need to know their customers' application requirements. For instance, it's important to know if a tag will be used in harsh environments or if it will need to be waterproof. Also, discuss adhesion needs and, when necessary, the make and model of the customer's printer."
Fetzer-Alessi said that sometimes the manufacturer isn't privy to the end-use details, but it's still important to provide certain information. "With a pressure-sensitive product, we like to know the substrate and the temperature it's exposed to," she explained. With regular stock, we need to know if it will be imaged with a direct thermal or thermal-transfer printer."
Ideally, manufacturers say, involve them as close to the beginning of the process as possible so that they can recommend the best choices for the application.
Jacoby noted that often, the customer's purchasing agent is locked into thinking only in terms of the current product used in the application. He suggested talking to operators and users for the application, observing what is used, then asking what the product should ideally do.
"Ask what's preventing the customer from getting what they want. What's the benefit to the customer from a new, better product? Once you have the customer's needs, we can give you the sizes and most economical way to print," Jacoby said.
The Best Fit
For high-quality service, manufacturers can suggest helpful options for customers that can result in cost savings, such as a slight change in size to fit the press. By fine-tuning tag and ticket sales to each individual customer's exact needs, "You'll have a customer for life," Jacoby promised.
By Janet R. Gross
- Companies:
- Stylerite Label
- Places:
- Chicago
- Random Lake