Labeling Innovations from Weber

"Great folks with great solutions – plain and simple."

For 90 years, we’ve been committed to building lasting partnerships that promote growth at Weber. From offering a range of labeling solutions to our unmatched service and support, we aim to provide our customers with the best experience possible. We do this by bringing technologies to market that improve packaging automation, product identification and brand recognition.

As we have grown as a company and the technologies we provide have continued to evolve, it has been amazing to watch our customers grow alongside us, and we look forward to a future of continued growth.

But don’t take it from us – our incredible customers say it best!

Here’s what some of them are saying:

“Weber has really helped out a lot. It’s been a great relationship. I’m saving about six cents per can by labeling instead of using shrink. A pallet of 100 cases saves me $600 per pallet. Times 10-20 pallets a month, that pays my rent!”

 - Monte Summer, Owner, 2 Fools Cider

💡Read more about 2 Fools Cider on our blog, Constant Improvement Leads To Cidery Success.

“Great service, Weber knows the importance in what we do and quickly respond to keep us up and running.”

 - Louis Deering, Abbott Diagnostics

“We knew right away that we had a good solution with the Weber system. We liked everything about it, including the footprint of the machine itself and the fact that Weber manufactured labels, too.

The Weber system is very efficient. It's very fast and it just keeps on working. And our labels look great. We’re very satisfied.”

 - Tim Smothers, Owner, Julian Pies

💡Read more about Julian Pies and watch a video, A Labeling Solution As Easy As Pie!

“Very reliable company. My orders are on time and accurate.”

 - Dawn Sellner, Kraft Heinz Co.     

“Great folks with great solutions–plain and simple. Weber has experience within space and does a great job of connecting customers' needs with executable solutions.”

 - Jeremiah Stevens, Boar’s Head

Paper or plastic?

You have heard this question in the grocery store. However, what do you do when you need a labeling solution to this adage old question? When it comes to labeling, many factors come into play that you may not have even considered. Paper versus plastic refers to both the substrate (what the label is being applied to) and the actual label material itself (paper versus film face sheet).

In labeling, substrate refers to the surface onto which a label is applied. In printing, substrate refers to the surface that is to be printed, meaning that the face material (and top coatings) of a label may also be referred to as a substrate.

The substrate the label is applied is a great starting point to determine the type of adhesive and material that will perform best in the application. The most common substrates are corrugated cardboard shipping boxes and HDPE containers for many markets such as case/pallet labeling, food, and health & beauty to name a few.

A pressure-sensitive label, or self-adhesive label, is made up of three layers: a face stock, an adhesive and a release liner. We refer to this as the "label sandwich." When a label is manufactured, these three components are sandwiched together to create a label material that can be printed on, laminated, die-cut, and finally peeled off and applied to your product.

The facestock is the main part of the label. The material could be paper or film.The adhesive is what makes the label stick to the surface of the product or packaging. Pressure-sensitive adhesive forms a bond when pressure is applied to marry the adhesive with the substrate. The liner is the paper or film that makes up the backing web material.

Check out more information on what is a pressure sensitive label.

The right facestock material must be used to match the application to ensure good adhesion, weather resistance and legibility. Each facestock features certain characteristics for superior performance in specific work environments.

Here are some basic questions you will have to consider for selecting the proper face stock and adhesive combination for the best fit of your label application. 

• What is the substrate the label will be applied to?
• What is the labeling environment?
• What is the temperature range for the product?

Paper The most common and economical type of facestock, paper is used for many simple indoor applications. Paper labels are made of paper. The color, thicknesses, and coatings of paper substrates can vary, but the base layer is still composed of the same raw material.Think short-term labeling.

Plastics BOPP films, PET films and vinyl films that provide greater strength, stiffness, transparency, and resistance to tearing. The flexibility and durability of film label materials allows them to conform and fit about the shape of your product container. Film labels are made from films (like plastic), making them a more durable and flexible material than paper. Designed for longer-lasting applications.

As we celebrate 90 years since opening our doors at Weber, it’s a great time to look back at where we’ve come from! A lot has changed since 1932, and our product offerings are no exception. From handprinters 90 years ago, to label printer applicators today, Weber is constantly evolving with the world around it.

Read on to explore some of the highlights of Weber’s product offerings through the years!

1938

In 1938, Joseph Weber Sr. introduced the first handprinter, the Tag-O-Graph Jr. This handprinter was a small curved block of wood to which Joseph affixed a glass handle, a cheesecloth ink pad and a framed mimeograph stencil. It’s amazing to look back at the original design and see how far printing has come since!

1947

As the mid-point of the 20^th century approached, Weber launched its first mechanical addressing machine, a hand-operated device developed by James Thomas that printed an address from a paper “ad-roll” rather than a stencil. This machine was used to print hang tags that identified products, prices, or address information on packages.

1964

The Stenmark stencil preparation system is introduced to make stencils for handprinters and labelers. This allowed for printing larger type in variety of fonts for easier product identification. It was basically a stencil typewriter!

1972

Model 40 label printer introduced, which was marketed as a small and economical label printer that could print 105 labels per minute. Also known as "Green Machines", this system used a stencil or interchangeable type slugs to print onto dry-adhesive rolls of paper that, when slit into individual labels, could be put on products.

1984

As technology began to rapidly advance, the Legitronic 1700 electronic labeling system featuring a computer terminal and dot matrix printer was introduced. Variable label information was printed onto pressure-sensitive labels after being formatted by the computer program.

1998

The Model 5100, Weber’s first label printer applicator designed and built in-house, went on the market. This built-in-the-USA print-apply system was designed to use Zebra print engines. A wide-range of label application arms allowed it to apply one or two labels to the sides of passing cartons or products.

2022

Weber keeps innovating with a range of high-speed labeling systems. The new high-speed modular Model 4050 label printer applicator is introduced along with the Legi-Flex high-speed vision-alignment labeling system for distribution centers. These systems, along with the high-speed Alpha HSM label applicator, show Weber's dedication to the ever-changing requirements of the packaging industry.

And we’re just getting started!

Want to learn more about Weber’s history and what we can do for you? Subscribe to follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter! (top right) You won’t want to miss joining in the fun of our 90^th anniversary celebration!

Our world is filled with many complex and complicated products, some of which can be dangerous if handled incorrectly.

And there are times when a product has to have emergency information available to users and first-responders.

This is where a label called an Extended Text Label comes into play. Extended Content Labels (ECLs) are a family of labels designed to increase packaging space to convey in-depth information. If you've ever seen a bottle or a package with a label that folds or pops out, then you've seen at least one type of Extended Content Label.

ECLs are labels made up of multiple panels attached directly to the package that either unfold or unroll to reveal necessary information, such as regulatory requirements, multi-lingual text, promotions, cautionary messages, and much more.

While traditional labels are printed on one side of a piece of material, ECLs will give you more space for product information like ingredients and instructions and can free space up on the front of your label for branding and essential product information.

These labels are usually produced with a hinged format that opens to reveal additional panels that can even fold out additional pages. When you have a lot to say, these pages can contain all your information relevant to your product or business.

ECLs are perfect for communicating data in multiple languages or meet the needs of specific industry requirements like health warnings, application instructions, or warranty information.These types of labels appear in retail packaging, software product labeling, drug facts information, MSDS information, on personal care products or supplements, and food or beverage nutritional fact information.

Also known as multi-ply labels, peel-back or resealable labels, booklet labels and fold-out labels, they combine a Pressure Sensitive Label and a folded or bound outsert that resembles a printed booklet. There is usually a thin strip of clear laminate that has a removable adhesive that allows the booklet to be held closed when applied, opened when needed, and re-closed when done.

Here is a quick video of an extended text label being printed at Weber packaging Solutions.

Watching the video you can see the printed information, usually printed by an offset printer, is fed into the label press where it is sandwiched between the label of label material and the protective laminate covering. It is then die-cut and wound on rolls for use on a label applicator at the manufacturer's facility.

This kind of label becomes important when packaging profiles are small and there is not enough room on labels for your message. Extended Content Labels provide space for more graphics and copy through the use of multiple pages. They are all engineered to do the same thing — increase the amount of space available for text and graphics. Expanded content labels contain more space for information than ordinary labels.

Extended content labels allow the outer label to be decorative and market the product and brand, while the internal layers contain vital information to comply with regulations and inform the consumer about necessary product details.

The most common applications are for pharmaceutical products, clinical trials, nutraceuticals, chemicals, pesticides, weed control products, lubricants, cosmetics and more!

This label offers endless options for customization and meets multi-lingual, regulatory, and marketing objectives. Manufacturing will love it too, there is no adjustment to application equipment required to run this label. The transition is seamless.

3D International started as a humble car wash in the Van Nuys, California area back in 1980 and soon after began manufacturing their own brand of soap, degreasers and tire dressings.  As word spread, they needed to expand the production of their quality automotive products and dedicate themselves to just manufacturing.

With over two decades of research and development, 3D has established a solid name in the car care products industry for car washes, detailers, and car dealerships.

In 2014, 3D built a new facility in Santa Clarita where they moved into creating new  polishing compounds and car-care soaps along with their degreasers and tire dressings. As their fame continued to grow, they expanded, adding new filling and packaging lines to keep up with demand. The 3D International factory headquarters includes a 70,000 square-foot warehouse with computerized mixing, high-speed production and strict quality control.

The company’s Production Manager, Genaro Levy, took some time to tell us about the growth at 3D International and how they are handling their success.

“We were famous for our soaps, tire dressings and degreasers, but since 2010, we have pursued the development of polishing compounds for automotive finishes,” said Gernaro. “3D now has compounds that are unmatched in how fast they polish. This one-step compound polishes (removes swirl marks), protects (adds a protective film), and leaves a great shine.”

The company now produces about 150 different products in a range of containers including 2 oz., 8 oz., 16 oz., 24 oz., 32 oz., 1 gallon, 5 gallons, 55 gallons, and 275 gallon totes! Over 95% of their products are biodegradable and/or green with 100% VOC compliance.

When Joseph Weber, Sr. founded what was then known as Weber Addressing Machine Company in 1923, he not only introduced the company’s first handprinter - the Tag-O-Graph - to market but laid a solid foundation for a company that would endure the test of time.

In fact, the family-owned handprinter company that he started in Chicago nearly a century ago is now a global labeling company in its third generation! And this year, we’re celebrating the milestone of our 90th anniversary.

Weber Through the Years

In 1932, just ten years after Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line, Joseph Weber, Sr. founded Weber. And a lot has happened since we opened our doors in the 1930s. From the invention of the television and the first moon landing to the proliferation of computers and the internet, Weber has seen the world through immense change since going into business 90 years ago.

Weber's first product was a simple handprinter that used an ink pad and a stencil mounted on a block of wood with a handle. This allowed the user to mark multiple cartons quickly with the same information. The product line, and the company, grew slowly at first, building a loyal customer base.

With each step along the way, we have found ways for our customers and our company to thrive. By the 1940s, we introduced an Address Machine that allowed for direct, mechanical printing on envelopes and changed our name to Weber Marking Systems.

Every decade since, we’ve made significant technological advances in labeling and label printing, moving from manual to automated, digital solutions.  In line with these advances, we changed our name to Weber Packaging Solutions in 2011. That same year, we introduced our Model 4300 Pro-Apply, an economical line of printer-applicators, and installed our first Mark-Andy P7 label press, which handles the most complex print applications.

Over the next few years, we introduced innovative label solutions like RFID labels, a vast array of label materials and finishes, and digital HP label presses that provide high-quality color labels in minimum quantities. Our engineering team developed an extensive line of modular label printer-applicators and high-speed labeling systems to handle the diverse label applications of our customers.

Learn more about our history. 

Today, the company remains family-owned and operated by the Weber family, with Doug Weber, Joseph Weber, Jr.’s son, leading the company as President and CEO.

“To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Weber is the experience of a lifetime,” said Doug. “Weber’s legacy has been built on the solid foundation that my grandfather laid 90 years ago, and to see it flourish has been nothing short of incredible.”

As one of the country’s largest label printers, Weber has continued to improve their ISO 9001-certified facilities with the latest high-speed flexo and digital label presses. Our custom-manufactured labeling systems feature heavy-duty designs and are globally known for their reliability.

At Weber, we continuously work to provide our amazing customers with the newest, most innovative equipment that allows them to leave their mark and realize savings. As we look to the future of labeling, which is rapidly evolving to meet consumer needs and demand, we are committed to providing products that are well built and last for many years. We proudly plan to continue Joseph Sr.’s legacy for generations to come.