Labeling Innovations from Weber

 

I was walking through our Digital Label Printing area the other day, and was struck by all the beautiful labels we have been printing lately. We keep a special rack of label sample rolls from jobs we've completed as examples of unique materials and fantastic designs.

And it should be no surprise that many of the awesome looking labels were from our craft beer customers. I thought I would share my top 11 picks along with some info about the breweries in case you happen to be in their neighborhood with a thirst.

1. Able Seedhouse and Brewery - Minneapolis, MN

One of our favorite breweries in the Minneapolis area, Able Seedhouse + Brewery is a well-known community-active brewery in Northeast Minneapolis. They have a habit of obscure yet creative names for their brews, like references to Seinfeld or song lyrics. And the beer we're showing here is awesome.

This is an amazing label with a fantastic design. Able Brewery created their Grim Arcana beer, a double brown ale (7.9% ABV), with Able rye malt smoked by their in-house BBQ food truck Animales and packaged it in 9 oz. cans.

The label design is highly detailed with layered colors including a gold metallic that creates the outlines on the geometric designs and the calavera skulls. A matte lamination seals the label giving it a soft non-sheen look except where the metallic colors show through. Great contrast.

And one of the unique features of this label is the addition of a Spotify code on the side of the label. This code links to a playlist developed by the brewers to enhance the drinking experience when listened to during consumption. A really cool extra touch, especially if you listen to this one!

Founded in 2015, Able Seedhouse + Brewery is a community of creative, hard-working and thoughtful people dedicated to building locally-inspired and ultra-fresh beer.

Every concept, piece of art, package, design, and beer poured at Able are the result of a very curious group of people and the community supporting them.

ABLE is located in the Arts District of Northeast Minneapolis at 1121 Quincy St NE. Check out their taproom, active event schedule and an evolving beer menu. ABLE is also home to Animales Barbeque Company

One of the biggest down-time issues facing large companies that use print-apply labeling systems is frequency of the label and ribbon changeovers. 

Label printer-applicators are the most efficient way to print variable data labels, like shipping labels, and apply them accurately on passing cartons and packages. But sooner or later you will have to shut down the line to change the empty label or ribbon rolls on each of your systems. A good operator can do that in a few minutes or even faster, but unless you have redundant systems that enable zero-down-time, you have to stop your production.

A typical label printer-applicator uses 12" diameter rolls of 4"x6" blank shipping labels and contains approximately 2500 labels per roll. If you are applying, say, 6 labels per minute (slow), that would be about 2880 labels per 8 hour shift. You would have to change a roll of labels every day. Faster line speeds would require multiple changes per day. And if you are running 10 or 20 labeling systems, that can be a time-consuming task.

And don't forget about the ribbons that go with the labels. You would probably be using a corresponding 4.02" x 1,476' wax ribbon to imprint your labels. Those are somewhat longer than your labels and would require a changeover shortly after you change your label roll. Minimum change would also be once a day on average. 

It adds up fast.

 ProMat 2019 is coming soon, April 8-11 at Chicago’s McCormick place, and our team at Weber Packaging will be on hand at booth #S5227 to demonstrate a better way to automatically print and apply packaging and shipping labels. 

Unfortunately, a lot of shippers have been struggling with underperforming print-and-apply labeling systems, breakdowns, and repeated headaches with having to set up, adjust and maintain their systems.
Fortunately, our partners at Zebra Technologies provide a great way to eliminate these issues and upgrade your print-and-apply solution with the ZE500 Series print engine.

Here are the 5 key ways that Zebra’s ZE500 Series print engines get rid of the headaches and keep your labeling operations running smoothly:

 1. Easy Set Up and Use

The first problem with many print-and-apply systems is that they’re a pain to set up. Zebra completely simplifies the process by giving you a large, graphical display with a simple five-button menu that makes setup a cinch.

You can rotate the display or even locate it up to two meters away from the rest of your system with an optional kit, so it’s still easily accessible, even if you’re have unusual mounting needs.

The applicator I/O is the same for 5V or 24V too, so you can simply switch jumpers and convert.

 2. Durable, Uninterrupted Performance

Print-and-apply is all about high-volume printing and labeling, usually in tough environments where debris, dust and water might be present. Many other systems fail or require repeated servicing and maintenance under demanding conditions, but Zebra sets the bar for durability with the ZE500.

It’s an ultra-rugged print engine with no need for cooling fans, and its external cabinet is non-perforated and resistant to debris, dust and even water splashes. With industrial, all-metal construction, it’s simply the toughest print-and-apply engine on the market.

 Backwoods Grind Coffee Company Enhances Their Brand With Labels

About a year ago, Zack Kile and Jonathan Wilson were sitting in a coffee shop sharing some time drinking their favorite brew and talking about the future. Both have a common love of living the outdoor lifestyle and a good cup of coffee. That day they came up with the idea to merge both, along with a good old hard-work ethic, and it became the Backwoods Grind Coffee Company (www.backwoodsgrind.com).

Located in the rolling hills in the heart of Mississippi, BGCC is just at the beginning stages of their growth. Co-founders Zack and Jonathan, along with a few other friends, have launched a coffee company that is dedicated to doing it right. Their main goals in founding BGCC was to create the best coffee company possible by combining the values of sustainability, the values of their Christian lifestyle, and the outdoors. They celebrate all those who work hard day in and day out so they can spend quality time in the outdoors. Zack and Jonathan are both avid hunters and outdoorsmen.

 

 One of the biggest challenges for companies that manufacture and sell products to large supermarket and retail chains is meeting the mandated labeling requirements. If you are shipping your products to their giant distribution centers, you need to have all your product labeling in step or they might not accept your shipment.

This was the case for one of Minnesota’s largest salad and side dish purveyors, Mrs. Gerry’s. They were requested to start applying adjacent corner labels to their cartons of prepared salads, side dishes, desserts, and coleslaws. These labels had to contain the GS1 information for the product including use by date, product information, and bar codes for tracking. 

Steady growth has been the trademark for Mrs. Gerry’s which had a humble start back in 1973 when Gerry and Jerry Vogt founded the company in support of Jerry’s sales position selling meats to grocery stores. Jerry wanted to offer more food-related products so he could provide a full menu to his clients. They bought a small building of just 1,100 square feet in Albert Lea, Minnesota, adding two stoves, a sink, and a cooler, and they were in business.

Gerry’s family became the first employees and they used Mrs. Gerry’s family recipe for potato salad as the first product. The company began to grow and, using fresh local ingredients, turned out 70,000 pounds of salad by hand in 1974. New recipes were added and building additions were added to accommodate the expanding product lines.

Fast forward to 2018 and Mrs. Gerry’s now sells over 35 millions pounds of product a year in their 215,000 square-foot facility. The company sells over 120 different products including pasta salads, cole slaws, salad kits, desserts, Premium Mashed Potatoes and much more. Sourcing their ingredients locally as much as possible, about 90% of their potatoes are grown within 15 miles of the Albert Lea plant. They buy massive truckloads of potatoes which are off-loaded in seconds using a whole truck tilt unloading system. 

 

Choosing the right label printer depends on how you’ll be using it, including your specific industry and application.

In this quick overview, our label printing experts at Weber Packaging Solutions break down the best Zebra label printers by industry, to help you make the right choice and get the best results.

Manufacturing

Label printing in manufacturing is often fast and high-volume, with a need for extremely durable printers that can withstand extreme temperatures, dust, dirt, or other tough environmental factors.  Sometimes you also need higher print quality to support smaller labels, improve scannability, and meet compliance requirements.

In these cases, the best options are Zebra’s ZT600 or ZT400 Series industrial printers, which print at higher speeds with greater quality than desktop printers. They achieve speeds of up to 14 inches per second with print resolution of up to 600 dots per inch (dpi). Zebra also offers models with optional RFID labeling functionality.

Zebra’s ZT printers are manufactured with all-metal components and built-in thermal management, so they also withstand the harshest environments, including extreme heat and cold, dust, dirt, and humidity.

If you need a print-and-apply system that labels as products, materials, or shipments move through production processes, a Zebra ZE500 print engine is also an option. Zebra’s print engines can print labels with up to 300 dpi resolution at up to 12 inches per second, including labels of 4.09 or 6.6 inches in width.

Transportation and Logistics

In transportation and logistics, workflows can involve everything from warehousing to yard and terminal operations, fleet management, and delivery services. In these cases, it’s often best to use a combination of different Zebra printer types depending on each area and workflow.

For example, in the busiest warehouses, Zebra ZT Series industrial printers may be the best option for fast, reliable printing in an extremely durable device. They integrate and connect easily with mobile devices and apps, making it easy to print from virtually anywhere.

Smaller desktop printers, such as Zebra’s ZD620 and ZD420 Series devices, may also be a good fit, especially when you need a printer that fits into smaller workspaces such as a desk area or rolling workstation.

However, if you need truly mobile printing, Zebra’s ZQ600 and ZQ500 Series mobile printers are the industry standard. They offer exceptional durability with a rugged military-grade design, and they deliver fast, reliable printing in a lightweight, wearable, or handheld device. You can print labels and receipts inside or outside the four walls, with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other connectivity options.