Labels

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 obvious—but 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

As printer technology advances, label applications increase By Stacey Wenzel As businesses update their computers and printers to replace obsolete equipment and meet changing needs, they are no longer turning to the impact printer. Offering a boost in speed and better resolution, laser printers have become an increasingly popular choice. As a result, there has been a redesign in labels to accommodate the enhanced equipment, increasing the opportunity for new sales. "Initially, computer continuous labels were modified in design for laser printer use," said Mark Newell, general manager of Wilsonville, Oregon-based Micro Design. "Now, the labels are specifically designed for laser printers." He noted one application that has grown

Form/label combinations offer unique design challenges and high sales margins By Eric Fiedler Form/label combinations are a favorite product for distributors to sell—because they really don't have to do much selling. "It's one of those products that sort of sells itself because when a customer contacts us through the Internet, they are already trying to solve a specific problem, and they've already figured out it's a form/label combination that they need," said Ron Woodrell, president of Cal-West Business Forms, a Fair Oaks, Calif.-based distributorship. "With this product you go back to what you're supposed to be doing with every order, which is solving a problem and genuinely helping

Combining a form and label solves a problem, adds value By Stacey Wenzel With end-users expressing an increasing desire to print documents in the office, the integrated label is becoming a popular value-added solution. The product's streamlined construction minimizes the thickness of the label, allowing it to easily pass through a printer. This flexibility makes it suitable for a variety of applications and markets. "We are starting to build integrated labels into other products, like thermal-transfer forms, multi-part cut sheets—with one part being an integrated label—and plow-folded envelopes with forms and integrated labels," said Daryl Roller, CFC, vice president of national sales for Ward/Kraft, Fort Scott, Kan. "We

Gain an edge with innovative primary labels By Eric Fiedler Undeniably, prime labels are important. In stores, they are the sales force, the advertising team and the spokesman for a product and a company. Because of this, most companies are willing to spend a little extra to get perfect prime labels, making them a profitable and challenging product to market. "Your only limitation is your im-agination," said John Shanley, president of Labels West, Woodinville, Wash. "Distributors need to understand the possibilities in order to sell prime labels effectively." The prime labels of today don't look like they did 10 years ago; the colors are richer and the overall

Consumers stick with thermal labels for bar codes and more By Eric Fiedler Direct thermal and thermal-transfer labels are getting tougher, and so is their market. Although still a relatively new product, thermal labels have established themselves as the leading label products for a host of printers. "It's becoming a real dog fight because everyone wants a piece of the action," said Tony Heinl, vice president of sales and marketing at Repacorp Label Products, Tipp City, Ohio. "They are out of the infant stage and definitely in a state of growth," said Tom Ainsworth, marketing director for Continental Datalabel, Elgin, Ill. "It's growing,

Bar code accuracy solidifies customer satisfaction By Carol Katarsky Since the late 1980s, retailers have assessed fines and penalties to manufacturers of bar codes that do not scan properly. These assessments, sometimes referred to as Automatic Cost Recovery (ACR), are used to recover the cost of im-properly printed bar codes. "If a scented candle incorrectly scans as a three-pack of athletic socks, a retailer's inventory can be thrown off for an entire year. Now imagine the problem a single product can cause at hundreds of retail outfits around the nation. These are the costs that ACR is designed to recover," said Eric Rudolf, director of marketing at

Flexible, colorful, lovable decals By Maggie DeWitt When I was a kid I liked watching my brother put the decals on his model cars and planes. Cutting around the designs, he'd soak them in water before sliding them off the paper backing and onto the model. Suddenly imbued with a sense of movement and energy, the plastic shapes were transformed into race cars and fighter jets, and you could now tell the good guys from the bad guys. Decals continue to impart interest and information, but they are no longer just the flat, one dimensional decorations of yesteryear. Today's decals offer a smorgasbord of features. Whether the

Piggybacks pave the way for new solutions By Stacey Wenzel Technology is demanding change in every area of the industry, and the piggyback label is no exception. Computers and printers are rapidly advancing, requiring the development of new label constructions to meet changing end-user needs--and manufacturers are answering this challenge with innovative solutions. Garland, Texas-based Metro Label recently started manufacturing a thermal-transfer piggyback label. According to John Abbott, vice president of sales and marketing, the construction uses a clear, self-laminated film as the middle ply, which is useful in abrasive situations. For instance, if a scanner in a shipping and receiving department is frequently coming in direct

It's a label, it's a promotional item, it's-a static cling By Carol Katarsky Static cling labels are the Sybil of the forms industry. Luckily for distributors, the dual faces of static clings-whether as a plain jane label or a glam, full-color promotional product, are more prone to profit. "Clings are growing in popularity," noted John Shanley, president of Labels West. "They're a bit of a fad, but I think a year from now, they'll still be 'in'." The Woodin-ville, Wash.-based manufacturer said he sells about $40,000 a month in static clings. That this unique product will be around for a while isn't debatable.