Every Product Needs a Label

With Primera’s digital labelling solution food product labels really stand out.

Manufacturers of almost any type of product often find themselves in need of short- to medium-run, full-colour customized product labels. The reasons are many: for use on prototype products, promotional campaigns, and perhaps most often, because the manufacturer has many different products that are all produced in smaller quantities.

In all of these cases, the printed quality and appearance of these labels are extremely important. Providing a professional appearance on packages can easily make the difference between a product selling well or simply sitting on the retail shelf.

Putting the most professional colour labels possible on products will set them apart from others. This is especially important for smaller manufacturers who can actually increase their sales by making their products stand out through innovative packaging and labelling. It also allows manufacturers of all sizes to offer private label goods in smaller quantities.

The need for short- to medium-run, full-colour label printing is abundant in organizations of all types and sizes. While there are several available options on the market today, many are too expensive or are designed for far higher production than is needed in many cases. Further, the print quality of even high-volume, full-colour labels on flexo or digital offset can be limited, thereby limiting the sales potential of the labelled products.

Which Technology to choose?

But finding a cost-effective and convenient way to produce high-quality, full-colour labels has not been easy. In recent years a new short- to medium-run label printing technology has become available: colour laser label printing. It provides high-resolution, durable labels that are ideal for primary label applications.

Sheet-fed colour laser printers are usually not the best choice for printing quantities of self-adhesive labels due to a limited number of substrates and maintenance issues due to adhesive bleeding, paper jams, thickness limitations and more.

However, a new breed of colour laser label printers has recently emerged: those with straight paper paths. A straight paper path eliminates virtually all of the issues previously associated with the technology for printing onto self-adhesive label materials. Thicker and stiffer substrates such as polyesters can be fed without incident along with the usual plain papers in matte, semi-gloss and gloss varieties.

Primera, a leading manufacturer of speciality colour printers widely known for its inkjet-based label printers, has successfully developed short to medium-run solutions using colour laser technology.

CX1000e Colour Label Printer – Digital Printing at its Best

Since January 2012 Primera’s latest addition to its range of industrial label printers is available in the EMEA region, called the CX1000e Colour Label Printer.

Designed for in-house production of professional-quality product labels, CX1000e is ideal for producing short-to medium-run jobs in various sizes. It’s the first laser printer to print on pre-die cut label stock. With 2400 dpi print resolution and print speed of 5 metres per minute, CX1000e delivers professional full-colour print quality along with high-speed production.

CX1000e output has much deeper and far more vibrant colours. Dot patterns are virtually imperceptible. And for the most precise colour control, Pantone®-approved spot colour support is included.

CX1000e prints onto many different laser-qualified label materials including pressure-sensitive plain papers, white and clear polyesters and more. A wide range of approved matte, semi-gloss, high-gloss and speciality food and beverage label materials are available. Primera has also qualified an all-new selection of eco-friendly substrates that are made of up to 100% post-consumer waste. Printed labels are waterproof, highly scratch, smudge and tear-resistant. Ink is also highly UV-resistant so printed labels can be used indoors or outside. Many of the most popular sizes are in-stock and ready for immediate shipment. Custom sizes are also readily available.

“Manufacturers and distributors from all kinds of industries but especially from the food and drink industry often want to produce higher quantities of their own high-quality labels in-house. Our new CX1000e is the best-in-class solution for that kind of application,” explained Andreas Hoffmann, managing director of Primera’s EMEA office Primera Europe. “Producing your own labels on CX1000e not only saves time and is far more convenient, but it almost always saves you money, too.”

Ordering massive quantities of pre-printed labels is no longer needed, there’s no lead time and no set-up charges, either. Printing your own labels saves time and money in other ways, too. Design changes can be accomplished immediately so there’s no wasted inventory – as only the labels are printed that are needed when they are needed. Cost per label is almost always significantly lower than outside vendors, too.

Who Needs Short- to Medium-Run Colour Labels?

Colour labels are needed in many applications across a broad range of industries. Here are just a few from the food industry:

• Speciality, organic and gourmet foods
• Speciality beverages
• Wineries, vineyards, speciality wine and spirits retailers
• Coffee roasting and speciality teas
• Juices, smoothies and water bottles
• Organic and natural foods
• Contract manufacturing and private labelling
• Print shops
• Dairy products
• Nutriceuticals and vitamins
• Corporate gifts and much more!