Custom Products To Ease Your Labeling

Labels are a big part of many manufacturing processes. Each step through the process can require different labels for different purposes. Some labels need to be removed at some point during manufacturing, while other must remain affixed for the life of the product. Finding the most cost-effective and efficient way to label products in multiple areas of production can be challenging.

That’s where we can help. We work with many customers to come up with unique custom labeling solutions for a variety of applications. One option that we developed for an electronic manufacturer is a custom kit label. The label is actually multiple labels on one liner, each with its own application.

The label shown here serves many purposes: product labels, component labels, a unit label with removable adhesive for temporary use, another unit label with tamper resistant slits for warranty validation, and a UL compliance label. We preprinted this label for our customer with color and graphics, and left blank areas for on demand printing.

During production, variable information, such as serial numbers, date, and warranty tracking information, is printed on the label by the customer. The label moves through production along with all other components and parts.  A label like this helps the customer move product through assembly faster because all necessary labels are available, any missing label is easy to spot before production, and there are no wasted labels at the beginning or end of the print runs.

Another custom label option is the piggyback label. Piggyback labels are comprised of one face stock and two liners. The bottom layer forms the backing for the top layer. The great thing about piggyback labels is that you can apply the label to any object, then peel off another label on the top layer to apply that label somewhere else. Applications for these kinds of labels include inventory control or asset tracking.

One of our customers needed a three part kit label to identify and track steel beams from production to delivery. We came up with an 8.875 ” wide by 4” high piggyback. The left half of the label is preprinted in color with the company logo on a 4.00” x 4.625” label. The right side of the label is divided in half with a horizontal slit to create two 4.25” by 2” labels. The label material had to be durable enough for outdoor use and for application in temperatures as low as -10 degrees F. 

The customer prints their variable data on the preprinted labels for production, and an operator applies the piggyback labels to their product (an I-beam) for identification. When the order is ready to ship, one of the smaller labels is peeled off the piggyback label on the I-beam and applied to the work order.  When the customer receives the product, the last remaining label is peeled off of the I-beam and applied to the shipping invoice. One label, three applications, and complete tracking from production to shipping.

Custom labeling need not be elaborate or intricate. Kit labels can be made in any size  or configuration, preprinted or blank, in any material and with a variety of adhesives.

Need a cost-effective solution for your intricate or unique labeling application? Could kit labeling help you move product through production more effectively? Then talk to us and we can help you develop innovative solutions for your labeling.