Labeling Innovations from Weber

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.

What do automotive parts, power tools, fire extinguishers, electronic components and chemical containers have in common?

Surprisingly, they all have one thing in common: they use durable labels somewhere on the product to share important information such as serial numbers, warnings, instructions and more.

A durable label is synthetic carrier of important information/data with an adhesive layer, which is typically affixed to a product or component. Industrial durable labels are designed to resist harsh elements such as solvents, extreme temperatures, and moisture. 

A durable label is intended to remain with a durable good throughout the product’s life, which can be years, and must withstand possible hostile environments such as exposures to chemicals, extreme temperatures, or UV light. Labels need to last a long time so they keep providing end users with vital messaging through scorching sun, bitter cold, harsh chemical environments and more. Additionally, the label often must be recognized by UL as being a component itself of the durable good.

When it comes to durable goods, labels are for life. These labels can include words, pictures, or both, whatever is necessary to identify the contents and their importance. Labels help customers use and maintain their cars, power tools and appliances. And by delivering directions and critical warnings, labels keep people safe.

Durable products, such as tools, automotive parts, warning signs, consumer electronics, industrial machinery and more need labels that will withstand years of repeated use, abuse and harsh weather. 

By definition, a “durable” label is designed to withstand environmental conditions that would normally degrade the printed image and/or jeopardize the integrity of the label construction. In other words, durable labels are meant to be long-lasting and permanent.

• Digiflex White BOPP, a UL-recognized economical polyproplyene material perfect for printing decorative graphics on sporting goods, warning labels, medical device labels, instruction labels and more..
• Digiweb White Vinyl, a UL-recognized material with excellent conformability to curved surfaces. Works well for graphic display POP decals, warehouse shelf bin labels, and more.
• Digiplate PET, a UL-recognized polyester film material (available in white, silver or chrome) that is suitable for flat industrial surfaces. Best suited for warning labels, instruction labels, medical device labels, sporting equipment labels and more. 
• And all labels are given a clear laminate for additional protection.

Durable labels must endure heat, chemicals, solvents, water, mechanical strain and challenging outdoor conditions. Our solvent free label materials are resistant to many conditions, making them a more sustainable and dependable choice for all durable applications. Several of our durable labeling products have been tested and recognized by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. who are an independent product safety testing and certification organization.

Ultimately, a hardy product label is important because it will ensure you meet government regulations, enhance or improve your brand, and will clearly communicate important guidance to avoid misuse of your product.

What are some typical applications where I would need durable labels?

Some typical durable labeling applications include:

• Asset management tags
• Pharmaceutical applications
• Electronic components
• U/L and Military Standard conformance
• Parts manufacturing involving high heat and/or solvents.
• Power tools
• Safety equipment like fire extinguishers
• Automotive products and replacement parts
• Aircraft products and parts
• Medical devices and testing equipment

When you sell a product that is a unique shape, there are many packaging challenges. One such company is Swanson Tool, a Chicagoland-based manufacturer of measuring tools, and the inventor of Speed Squares®. Ironically, framing squares are in the shape of a triangle.  

Swanson was approached by one of their customers about a new packaging configuration for two of their largest framing square sizes.  Typically, the labeling for these items include a large glossy tagstock material that is stapled or glued together, sometimes with an instructional “blue book” contained within.  Because of the odd shape, this is all prepared by hand. 

The new packaging would require more products per case, but the existing labeling solution adds a lot of bulk.  They needed to streamline their labeling, and noticed that some of their competition uses pressure sensitive labels. 

That’s when Swanson decided to call on Weber Packaging.  In their search, they also noted they could use Weber to capitalize on this opportunity to streamline the labeling process as well. 

The primary requirement for this label was that it needed to be removable without leaving any residue behind on the high-quality CNC-machined aluminum framing squares that would frustrate the end user. After all, the preferred location of this new label was directly on top of etched distance and angle markings, essential for the use of the product. 

A label isn’t just a label. It is your brand!

A label is, in fact, the most visible and constant impression your customers have of your products and your company.  The label serves as the primary communicator of your brand's story. You see labels on every consumer product and package. Labels attract attention.  Labels identify products.  And there are labels that inform and, yes, even sell products. 

Shelf impact is an important aspect of selling your products in stores. Labels play a big role for consumers unfamiliar with the product increasing their reliance on attractive packaging to make a purchasing decision. Consumers today have become a highly visual audience. Customers often end up judging a product by its label. They can be swayed to purchase a new product or switch from a brand they know well due to an impeccable label design.  The competition to get your brand noticed is fierce.

First appearances and immediate attraction really do matter. On the shelf, your packaging should not only reflect high quality label printing, but must speak directly to your customer. As appealing as the actual product may be, it will not sell itself unless it comes in an eye-catching packaging design that attracts potential buyers. Whether you own a brick and mortar location or a web-based business, what all products need most is shelf appeal.

Packaging can mean the difference between the success of a product or its failure. Great designs, colors, and quality labels all affect the success of your product’s shelf appeal. Products with shelf appeal use color and design to catch the consumer's attention and outshine the competition.

When done correctly, shelf appeal alone can encourage a consumer to place a product in their shopping cart. Research shows purchase decisions are made at the point of sale. If your product is new or isn’t very well-known, shelf appeal can greatly help to grow your brand and increase sales.

The real power is a premium label. What makes a brand stand out and why do we choose one product or brand over another? In more instances than we realize, it is the label or a unique-shaped container that is enhanced by the label. From upscale personal care products or craft spirits for example, it is a fact that brands create a “wow” factor through creative packaging.

How will you use your label design to make your brand stand apart?

• Are you looking to have a clean, sleek label or a bold design?
• Are you trying to reflect a refined style or attitude?
• Do you want a style that looks handcrafted?

All of these things can be achieved with the right label design. If you are planning to sell your product at a premium price, make sure it looks worth that premium price.  One of the first things people notice about packaging after the name is its coloring. The choice of color you put on your packaging will largely determine the audience it will attract. Color impact, which can grab consumer attention, creates category consistency and improves brand recognition.

Product names should be descriptive and memorable while appealing to the specific target demographic audience.  The label must be compelling to grab the attention of the consumer. A package must appeal to emotion through relatable and personal labeling. Packaging choices influence your consumer’s impression of the quality of the product which correlates to sales.

Making your labels provide a more tactile experience can set your product apart. For example, a karess soft touch overlaminate appeals to a higher- end market. Customers who touch products believe the products are worth more. Color and texture are key ingredients for successful labels and packaging.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology has been around for many years.  It first caught on in retail and logistics as a natural fit.  Items with RFID labels, also referred to as Smart Labels or Intelligent Labels, can be tracked and identified efficiently through every stage of the supply chain, from purchasing to shipping to delivery.

Why is RFID a good solution for medical devices?

Consider the FDA requirements that mandate unique device identification (UDI) for medical devices. With a UDI system already in place, barcodes can become smart codes by having RFID sensors embedded in the barcode labels. RFID sensors can be engineered to withstand the high temperatures of sterilization, and by using thermal data logging technologies, hospitals can track assets through use, sterilization, and reuse.

Comprising of a small chip, which is capable of carrying up to 2000 bytes and an antenna, the RFID devices do a job similar to that of a bar code or a magnetic strip on the back of a credit card or ATM card – provide a unique identifier for an object. Like a bar code or magnetic strip, an RFID device must also be scanned to gather the identifying information. 

Today, pharmaceutical companies are also recognizing the benefits of RFID labels, and for very good reasons. In pharma, RFID labels help to manage inventory, increase operational efficiencies, remain in compliance with governmental regulation, and ensure the wellbeing of patients and consumers. RFID labels also enable itemizing and sorting of stock to ensure quality and prevent waste.  

RFID within the healthcare segment helps make medicine and assets smarter by providing improved visibility of inventory and assets. It's true that lost or stolen materials cost the healthcare industry millions every year. With RFID labels, you can see medicines and devices travel through the supply chain as intended, providing an accurate chain of custody.  Improved visibility reduces the risk of counterfeit drugs entering legitimate distribution channels and unintended product diversion. Accurate, timely and complete data helps avoid product expiration and stock outages and effective recall management. 

Nothing is more important than patient safety, but counterfeit drugs are real and one of the largest fraudulent markets in the world. Radio-frequency identification can help provide a quick way to retrieve information, track pharmaceuticals or items in the supply chain, and help avoid the costs associated with counterfeit or adulterated medications. The tag is placed on an individual object, which allows for unique identification.

Efforts of the FDA, in collaboration with pharmaceutical suppliers, to maintain a secure drug supply in the wake of rising counterfeit drugs prevalence, has encouraged the pharmaceutical industry to use RFID in combination with the electronic product code (EPC) for real-time tracking, tracing, and authentication of drugs.

It is critical to provide the right drug and of course, one that's free of tampering.  RFID not only ensures integrity, it delivers strong counterfeiting deterrence as the label itself could be used to authenticate the pharmaceutical product and tamper evidence. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has played a vital role in escalating the widespread adoption of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in the pharmaceutical sector to strengthen anti-counterfeiting and track-and-trace efforts. Besides these benefits, RFID technology is acknowledged for its ability to increase supply chain efficiency, reduce errors by proper storage of information, boost patient safety and monitoring, enhance staff, patient, and asset workflow, easy adoption and flexible usage, and cut down labor requirements. 

In North America, 250 million blood bag labels are used on average every year, and demand is expected to continue to grow significantly.  Giving blood is a simple, straightforward process and donating a pint of blood typically takes less than 12 minutes. 

Now transporting blood and components to the end user is a much more complex process.  Blood processing and transportation require the use of specialized labels that can withstand both the rigorous lifecycle of a blood bag and communicate critical information about its origin and contents. 

Robust product performance and extensive adhesive safety testing are key for specialty healthcare applications like blood bag and IV-bag labeling. Primary and secondary labels must withstand extreme temperatures common to blood processing protocols.  Labels must be reliable to meet the stringent tracking and identification requirements for each bag stored in blood banks, healthcare facilities, hospitals and laboratories. Blood banks and collection centers require robust labels to reliably track blood from the donor to the final recipient; these labels need to survive multiple processing, testing, and storage steps through challenging environmental conditions.

The majority of blood bags contain one to two labels, and some may have three and four labels. These labels ensure that these blood products are correctly identified and reach their destination safely and securely. There are two types of labels that must be applied to the blood bag at different stages of the supply chain.  

These labels are: 

1. Primary Labels: The primary label, or also referred to as the base label, is applied to the blood bag by the manufacturer during production. Primary labels provide identifying information such as the manufacturer’s name and address, reference and batch numbers, and codes for traceability. After label application, the bags are filled with anticoagulant and sterilized with steam heat at high temperatures before they are shipped to hospitals and blood centers.