Current Trends in Labelling and Marking

Today’s dynamic packaging market poses significant challenges for industry suppliers, not least the demand for a reduction in packaging materials, the introduction of more eco-friendly packaging products and a growing trend towards product tracking and traceability. 

Packaging – More or Less ?

Whilst demand for packaging is strong in many of the developing countries, across the industrialised markets, packaging penetration rates are near saturation point. Here, the industry is under siege from overcapacity and environmental concerns associated with waste and excess packaging. Therefore, whilst three quarters of the world wants more packaging, a quarter of the world is demanding less. Consumer preferences are shifting towards more eco friendly products and green packaging solutions.  With major retailers beginning to demand more sustainable packaging, now is the time to look closely at greener solutions.

The Weber group of companies take a green packaging life cycle approach, working closely with both machinery and material suppliers. This approach looks at packaging from production to distribution, through to the end of the packaging life cycle.  Today, machinery manufacturers strive to produce equipment that runs more efficiently and uses less energy.  Many new packaging machines are being built to accommodate the wide range of new biodegradable packaging materials. For their part, materials suppliers are producing more eco friendly and bio degradable products and inventing entire packaging solutions in conjunction with equipment manufacturers that use less material, glue and energy to produce products with a greatly reduced carbon foot print.

Trends in labelling

The developments in packaging and materials are mirrored by other significant changes within the marketplace. There is a growing trend towards shorter and more varied print runs, an increasing demand for personalisation, plus traceability and validation especially within the pharmaceutical sector.

This, together with a move towards seasonal and time sensitive labels, regionally focused products and multiple SKU entries has boosted the introduction of digital printing technology. Although running 76 flexographic presses across its 5 worldwide converting operations, Weber has also invested heavily in digital printing technology.

The ability to produce shorter runs has reduced Weber’s customer’s inventory and costs. Digital technology also enables the production of labels for customers who require just enough labels to test new products in the marketplace.

(Weber produces labels using both flexographic and digital technology)

Product identification and verification

Pharmaceutical labelling is increasingly complex, with pressure from consumers and regulatory bodies to prevent counterfeiting and improve safety. Manufacturers and packaging companies must ensure products can be recognized and verified quickly and easily throughout the supply chain. To achieve this, a more sophisticated labelling system than the EAN barcode — the current retail labelling standard — is needed for the pharmaceutical sector.

During the last 30 years, conventional barcodes have revolutionized labelling.  By today's standards, however, they offer limited capacity for data handling. For example, where thousands of individual product packs carry the same barcode, it is impossible to check if a barcode has been copied and used on counterfeit goods, or if products are destined for different markets. Furthermore, EAN barcodes provide no capacity for batch or shipment specific data.

By comparison, the 2D code format offers higher data densities. A matrix code is made up of a pattern of cells that can be square, hexagonal, or circular. Data is encoded via the relative positions of these light and dark areas, and encoding schemes use error detection and correction techniques to improve reliability and reading of partially damaged symbols. The 2D code format can be used to identify individual products and as a scannable symbol on packages and cartons.

Applying RFID inlays to pressure sensitive labels is another growing trend and Weber has been actively involved in this market for the last 4 years. Extensive quality procedures and 100% checks on the antenna and chip ensure that no defective inlays make it as far as the printer encoder or applicator. The use of RFID inlays allows customers to track product data throughout the supply chain ensuring reliable and accurate data management.

(Weber 5300 RFID print & apply system)

Working on the outside of the box

In the current climate, manufacturers are seeking every opportunity to reduce costs. Using high volumes of pre-printed boxes or cartons, for some is now seen as an unnecessary expenditure. Replacing these with plain boxes and using the latest high-resolution direct-to-case ink-jet coding equipment, packaging companies can make significant savings whilst helping the environment.

(Weber - direct-to-case ink-jet coding)

For the forseeable future, the global packaging market looks set to undergo further significant changes which will be driven by technology and the ongoing need to consider the environmental impacts of packaging. Weber’s pedigree, together with its ongoing philosophy of innovation, product development and commitment to sustainability, will ensure that the company not only survives today’s challenges, but will remain as a leading supplier of labels and labelling systems.

Chris Semple is a labelling consultant with Weber Marking Systems

Label applicators save time and money

Time is changing drastically and technology is developing every day. With the advances in technology it has become easier to complete any kind of task within a fraction of the time it used to take. In this machinery and scientific era, we are able to do things without much trouble. Most of the industries are making huge improvement in their business processes to reduce costs.

Similarly, a drastic change has taken place in labelling industries because of the introduction of the humble label applicator. This device has fastened the process of tagging. All companies need to identify their products. We can't identify any item easily without tag on it, hence labels are applied on the product to communicate the identification of the items. They provide all the necessary detail about the item so that we can make out whether the product is good to use or not. Innovative new ideas are helping all sorts of companies to apply labels on any type of bottles, containers or boxes.

A few decades ago, this device was not available so all the tagging work used to carry out by hand. There was a need for a human element in the process and tasks used to take hours to complete . Now, with the help of a label applicator this process can be completed in minutes with a huge reduction in labour costs. Therefore, most of the small, medium and large scale manufacturing or packing industries are using this type of machine to apply product or packaging labels.This machine applies the tag very fast and in accurate positions on the items. Label applicators are light-weight, easily transportable simple to operate and can easily integrate into an existing production line. They are suitable for a 24/7 labelling process and it provides accurate positioning of the label to within 1mm.This system is particularly useful for cosmetic, pharmaceutical, chemical as well as various other industries where sometimes hazardous substances are used.  Applicators are not only used to apply labels to boxes and packaging they can be just as easily used to apply labels to bottles. Both automatic and semi-automatic Bottle-labellers do the same work of applying labels on bottles. More advanced systems can apply front and back labels or front and neck labels to a bottle at the same time.

With the introduction of maintenance contracts and extended warranties maintenance costs can be very low with these machines and with protective housings and cabinets they can be used in the harshest of environments. They are also more user-friendly than ever.























Brand image is hugely important to most companies but sometimes things do still get lost in translation!

 

Weber Marking Systems are a labelling and coding specialist based near Edinburgh in Scotland. If you can make it we can put a label onto it.

What on earth is this GHS thing all about?

No... not Guildford High School for Girls, I mean the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), with me now?

 All over the world there are different laws on how to identify the hazardous properties of chemicals and how information about these hazards is then passed to users (through labels, and safety data sheets for workers).

This can be confusing because the same chemical can have different hazard descriptions in different countries. For example, a chemical could be labelled as ‘toxic’ in one country, but not in another.

The UN brought together experts from different countries to create the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

The aim of the GHS is to have, worldwide, the same:

• criteria for classifying chemicals according to their health, environmental and physical hazards; and
• hazard communication requirements for labelling and safety data sheets.

The new rules state that "As a general rule, you must notify the classification and labelling of a substance within one month of placing it on the market on or after 1 December 2010. For importers, the one month delay is counted from the day when a substance, on its own or contained in a mixture, is physically introduced in the customs territory of the Community"

What will change?

Labelling must take place in accordance with the CLP as of December 1, 2010 for substances and as of June 1 2015 for mixtures, however this labeling is already allowed as of now.

Regardless of which labeling law is selected within the transition periods, only one form of labeling is allowed

on the label - either in accordance with the old law or the new one. The old classification in accordance with

directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC must still be provided in the safety data sheet until June 1, 2015.

The long transition period for the labeling systems (2009 - 2015) is intended to ensure that all of the relevant

parties - public authorities, companies and stakeholders - are able to concentrate their resources on the new

obligations in a timely manner.

The new European CLP Regulation is based on the previous system of classification and labeling as it represents a compromise between the established systems in North America and the EU.

The most noticeable feature is the change in the labeling symbols: instead of the hazard symbols with black printing on orange-yellow rectangles that have been used to date, now nine hazard pictograms with black symbols on a white background with red-rimmed rhombuses are used to provide warnings (Annex V, CLP Regulation). While most of the nine hazard pictograms correspond to the well-known hazard symbols, the pictograms GHS 04, GHS 07 and GHS 08 are completely new. The St. Andrew’s cross (Xn/Xi) that has been used to date no longer exists.

The first working day in 2011 is 3 January. This means that the first notification deadline is 3 January, namely for all substances placed on the market on 1, 2 and 3 December 2010.
ECHA recommends that notifications are submitted from now on and well before 24 December 2010.

 Just like the image shown above the pictogram's that identify a gas, liquid, explosive or corrosive product have now changed and must be identified correctly or risk being collared by the long arm of the law.

There have been some major and some minor pictogram changes. Make sure you are using the correct one.

Weber Marking Systems as a labelling specialist can help you be legally compliant. We currently produce labels for some of the UK's largest pharmaceutical companies, jump on board with us. These new rules came into effect on 1st December and you MUST be compliant from now on, and we can help

Details of the pictogram changes can be found on-line. A full list of the regulations can be found at http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html.

What on earth is a QR code?

Have you ever wondered what this image is? If you though your eye prescription needed updating , then you'll be glad to hear that it doesn't, although it still might. It’s called a QR Code, if you want to know what it does....read on

What are QR Codes?
A Quick Response Code, or a QR Code is a type of two-dimensional barcode, except it’s capable of storing up to 100 times the data of its predecessor. Developed by the Japanese Denso Corporation in 1994, QR codes were intended for quick tagging in the manufacture of car parts. However, technology quickly evolved, and the way in which QR codes were used became more creative and diverse (more on that later). They are widely used in Japan, unsurprisingly, as this advert for NTT DoCoMo mobile phones suggests:

How does it work?

This image below explains the code structure for how QR codes work; thankfully the process for you to actually use them is a lot more straightforward.

The camera on the majority of Japanese mobile phones was designed to read the data contained in a QR code; in the US & Europe the majority of handsets will require additional software capable of reading them.

QR Code-reading software for the iPhone

For a limited time only you can get Quickmark for free; which is an application for the iPhone to read both traditional and 2D barcodes. App store link

• Install and open your QR code-reading software
• Take a photo / point your camera at the QR code
• Depending on your handset, your phone’s browser will automatically start and redirect you to the URL or request for you to confirm you wish to visit the link.
  As you can see from the screenshot on the right, Quickmark has some additional options for sharing your QR code including a send to Twitter option, email and the ability to generate QR codes for contact information. Please note, I haven’t used the following software so I have no idea how they work.

QR Code-reading software for Google Android

Google’s Product Search now includes a barcode scanner which is also capable of reading QR codes. At present, this only works in the US & UK, more information here

QR Code-reading software for all other devices

Beetagg Reader seems to support the vast majority of popular brands such as HTC, Nokia, iPhone and Blackberry; simply sign up and you’ll receive an SMS with a download link.

QR Codes can also be read by industrial scanners by companies like Motorola, Sick and Datalogic All of these can be supplied by Weber Marking Systems.

Creative examples of QR-Code usage & opportunities

This is the really interesting part. As smartphones grow in popularity, the higher the likelihood of advertising campaigns using QR-codes as part of its message. Let’s look at some examples of what’s already been done, and what could happen in the future.

Enviromentally Friendly Campaigns - Eventbrite (an online event registration company) tested an event using QR codes for ticketing with the intention to reduce waste and increase efficiency (sadly their blog post is no longer online). On a similar note, I was reading a magazine and there was an advert for Siemens’ environmental policy, linked to from its QR code.
Local Business Listings on Google – the search giant has just sent out up to 190,000 QR codes to the most searched-for business in its local directory. So if you start seeing these in the windows of a restaurant you’ve never visited before, it’s possible you’ll be able to read reviews on the spot.
Bands or artists could produce QR Codes for after exhibitions or concerts – if your budget doesn’t stretch to printed merchandise or CDs, why not print some codes to drive traffic to your website or an alternative shopping link? Or to go one further, like one band did..
Use them to take political swipes at your government – the Pet Shop Boys attacked the UK’s Big Brother surveillance laws by featuring over 2,000 real QR codes. Pause the video below to test the QR codes for yourself, they all link to various articles about personal freedoms and the like.


Increase your own visibility and ‘person brand’ – want more Facebook friends or followers on Twitter? How about having a t-shirt printed with a QR Code that leads to its URL? With the Facebook App, you install it on your profile and it generates the t-shirt. I agree, it's not to pretty.....and it wont make you attractive to women.

What the future has in store

Color Code Technologies showcased its new Colour Construct Code (CCC) back in November 2009 at the Mobile Asia Congress, Hong Kong. This is capable of storing much more data and doesn’t require an internet connection in order to access it. These colour codes can also be printed on inkjet printers, resulting in easier and more cost-effective distribution.

One recent example involved a new record by Japanese group ‘The Tenka’. A colour QR code was included on a promotional leaflet and when scanned, the data was converted into a song and stored on the phone. According to 2d Code, it’s possible to add password encryption and expiration dates, making it ideal for a broad spectrum of promotions. The site also goes on to say that the decoder is available from the Nokia Ovi Store for a limited number of handsets.

Tomorrows world today? ....very possibly.

If Weber can help with any of your barcode needs please let us know.

Is your label design software up to scratch?

Modern manufacturing requires an integrated approach across all aspects of the production process, to ensure not just productivity, but the quality and consistency demanded by the consumer. As demands and expectations have increased within the production processes themselves, so too has the need for concise and efficient marking and labelling.

Whether a label contains simple instructions, a use-by date or traceability information within a bar code, a 2D matrix code or an RFID smart label, it is essential that manufacturers have the confidence that each and every label will be produced and applied to a consistent standard, regardless of where in the production process the operation takes place.

With over 75 years experience in the development and innovation of labelling solutions, Weber Marking Systems has built up an enviable portfolio covering labelling’s three distinct categories: media, hardware and software.

This unique combination of products, backed by unrivalled application knowledge, allows Weber to identify, configure and manage all aspects of labelling. It begins with the humble label itself, through to the latest tracking and traceability technology, and covers all applications areas from the product to the pallet.

This entire process starts with the media. Labels, tags, RFID smart labels and printer ribbons must be of the highest quality to ensure optimum performance using on-line print-and-apply systems. Weber converts and prints labels at its own manufacturing facilities, including its UK plant in Macmerry, just outside Edinburgh. These products range from pressure-sensitive labels, (including stock labels for general-purpose labelling), plus custom, variable-imprint labels and tags for more challenging applications. In addition, Weber has applied its expertise as a leading manufacturer of labels to provide a range of high-quality RFID smart labels.

A typical packaging line will employ a variety of labelling, print-and-apply and data capture systems at strategic points. Historically, labelling systems were seen as stand-alone units that would perform their individual tasks without the need for any cohesive integration into the main packaging line.

As today’s packaging lines have become faster and more complex and with the need to comply with growing regulation on product labelling, it is essential that the individual elements are both compatible and capable of integration to the line and its PLC control system. Meeting these demands requires a comprehensive range of labelling and coding equipment which has been designed for easy integration into virtually any packaging line.

Key elements of a packaging line are pressure-sensitive label printer-applicators and prime label applicators. Weber’s extensive range of labelling solutions has the capability to be engineered to meet the needs of a specific application. Today’s labelling demands also often include RFID compliance labelling, and Weber has developed RFID encode-apply equipment and a unique system that combines smart label printing, encoding and application in a single unit. Both of these systems also verify correct RFID encoding and reject non-compliant labels before they are applied. In addition to equipment designed for on-line integration, Weber also provides a diverse selection of label printers and RFID printer-encoders for off-line labelling needs, plus the necessary material handling equipment such as conveyors, equipment stands, carton feeders and much more. An additional selection of bar code and RFID data capture products can be used to gather information that ensures accurate product identification and provide real-time inventory management data.

Weber’s Legitronic® labelling software is the driving force behind the company’s label printer and printer-applicator systems. This unique software provides a simple yet flexible approach to label design and editing and permits the control and operation of label printers and RFID encoders. This off-the-shelf product, with its easy-to-use design interface, can be found at the heart of a multitude of label printing tasks. Remote input capabilities permit direct access from scales, PLCs and other devices. Legitronic software also is ideal for networks, efficiently handling multiple systems with shared file support, while a built-in security system restricts use and protects valuable information. The software offers many options and can be custom-designed to complement and help control any operation.

Weber’s philosophy of continuous product development has led to the introduction of two new and enhanced levels of software: LegiPlus and LegiMax, which are provided as part of a total systems solution to label printing applications. These fully-managed and implemented solutions build upon the functionality and flexibility of the core software and when combined with Weber’s unrivalled expertise, deliver significant benefits for users of Weber’s print-and- apply technology.

With media, hardware and software covering all aspects of label printing and application Weber can provide the seamless integration required to enable identification and traceability from the product to the pallet.