Bring Home the Bacon

Reliable, Efficient, and Safe Pallet Labeling

In many packaging operations, printing and applying the labels to the pallets is one of the final jobs to be completed. This is no exception in meat, poultry, and seafood plants, so pallet labeling for protein producers is an important final step.

As with all the product coding and labeling that takes place in these businesses, pallet labeling is important, and to comply with standards and your customer’s mandates, it is crucial that the label is produced correctly and applied in the right locations on the pallet.

The labels you print for your pallets will likely include a Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC), usually encoded into a GS1 128 barcode, along with other information.

The SSCC barcode consists of the following:

• The Application Identifier: (00) indicates that the barcode is an SSCC.
  
• An Extension Digit: This is used to increase the capacity of the Serial Reference number if needed.
  
• GS1 Company Prefix: The unique number used to identify a GS1 member company.
  
• Serial Reference: The serial number allocated to a particular pallet.
  
• Check Digit: A single digit, calculated to modulo 10, to check for input errors.

Managing Your Pallet Label Formats and Data

All of your label formats and print messages for the complete protein packaging line can be controlled and managed from a single position using ID Technology’s Control Apps, based on the NiceLabel platform.

These applications are designed to send print data to all the technologies you use on the packaging line, minimizing human intervention and vastly reducing the possibility of errors.

Our Control Apps connect to your data, whether it is stored in your warehouse software, ERP system, or in the cloud.

Applying the Labels to the Pallets

Because it takes a while for pallets to be built and wrapped, you might think it makes sense for the labels to be printed on a tabletop printer and applied manually.

There are, however, some potential problems with this approach:

• It can distract your operators from other tasks – you probably won’t have an operator working full-time on pallet labeling, so they would have to stop what they are currently doing every time a pallet is ready.
  
• If you designate pallet labeling to a forklift driver, they must constantly climb in and out of the truck to get a label and apply it to the pallet, risking injury.
  
• Relying on humans to get the correct label and always applying the correct label(s) to every pallet can be prone to errors.

It makes sense, therefore, to automate this part of your labeling process, using an ID Technology, automatic print and apply labeling system.

Pallet Labeling Systems

ID Technology’s 265 pallet labeling systems and Panther’s Predator are ideal for use in protein packaging facilities and come with a number of key benefits:

• Engineered to handle the environments encountered in protein plants – can be provided in environmental enclosures if required.
  
• The 265 system incorporates Allen-Bradley controls with enhanced communications capabilities, making it simple to integrate into your line control software.
  
• The CarbonFlex™ applicator module can apply one or two labels to pallets without requiring factory-compressed air.
  
• CarbonFlex uses a carbon fiber applicator that is servo-controlled. It improves safety for anyone working in the area, instantly reversing if it encounters anything unexpected.
  
• With label automation systems, the forklift operator does not need to dismount their equipment to apply a label, reducing the risk of injury and greatly increasing label application speed and reliability.
  

Labels from ID Technology 

Did you know that ID Technology is a leader in label production – both for prime product labeling and secondary packaging?

With 10 label production plants in North America, we are your local label company with a national reach.

All of our label plants are equipped to produce thermal transfer and direct thermal labels in large volumes, and we have pioneered innovative features such as clear leaders and trailers for the label rolls – making it easier to load labels to the print and apply machines and enhance equipment operation.

Our AutoSeries Ex label is a new introduction that uses a thinner liner and facestock to allow more labels per roll and very consistent die-cutting.

Finally, if you use ID Technology labels on our print and apply labelers, you might qualify for our lifetime limited equipment warranty.

Improve Your Protein Production with ProMach Labeling & Coding Solutions 

By integrating our vast array of ProMach Labeling & Coding solutions in your protein operations, you get best-in-class printing and labeling systems, excellent support, and the opportunity to consolidate all the setup and data control into one integrated solution. That translates to greater throughput, increased efficiency, and a better bottom line.  

To learn more about coding and labeling for protein products, please contact us at IDT@ProMachBuilt.com .