The kind of adhesive that we use for your label will depend upon the use and environment in which the end product will destined for. For example if you have a product that is to be used in ambient, warm or very cold environments, then our water based emulsion acrylic adhesive will be suitable. This is a permanent adhesive, and can be used on dry, warm or chilled products, and is resistant to heat and light, has a temperature range of between -20°C to +80°C.

For products that are destined for the deep freeze, you will require an emulsion acrylic permanent adhesive with a very high tack even to moist surfaces, this is waterproof and will withstand temperatures of -30°C to +80°C.
Cold store or cryogenic products need a special adhesive and we would recommend an acrylic-based adhesive with medium tack, this can be subject to temperatures as low as -60C and in the case of a cryogenic label as low as -196C.

Should the product require a label that has to be removed, for example it may have important instructions on the use of the product beneath it, then a removable acrylic adhesive with medium tack, which has excellent resistance to heat, light and good long-term removability. Let us know your requirements and we will recommend an adhesive that is suitable for this.

Posted in General by Philip

In case you did not know that is the Pantone reference for the orange colour that you will see when you spot the familiar EasyJet aeroplane. Now although it is very difficult to own a colour, although we are sure that Stelios may argue that point, we imagine that you could not paint an aeroplane that colour.

However, BP took action successfully as it turns out, against an Irish petrol company revamping its forecourts in a shade of green similar to its own, arguing that potential customers could pull off the road expecting to be in a BP filling stations because they had seen the colour, similarly other products could not be copied exactly without being challenged.

You can of course choose one of the Pantone colours for your label which will identify your product and you will have an enormous number from which you can pick. Data Label has over 25 year’s experience printing labels, all of which is completed in house. Using our new digital press, allows us to print specific designs, colours and styles. Printed using HP Indigo digital, with full colour print and Pantone colour matching available, your company’s special requirements can be produced at a competitive price.

Posted in General by Philip

Applying a coat of varnish to a label can be made to portray a variety of looks to the product, this can be a high tech look, an exclusive premium product look, or whatever image you want to portray on your products to add a unique touch to your brands. These labels can be supplied with a matt or gloss varnish, or a spot varnish to highlight a particular area or feature of the label, perhaps to draw attention to a unique product feature or maybe your logo.

We have supplied varnished labels to both the retail and manufacturing sectors so we are happy to discuss with you how varnishing a label or highlighting part of a label can help in the launch of a new or rebranded product. The labels can be made from a variety of papers or substrates depending on the environment for where the product is destined. The label on your product can be described as a silent sales employee that is drawing attention to you and your products. Featuring your product in the best possible way with the right varnish, printing, as well as material is sure to pay dividends.

Our digital label printing presses are ideally suited for the manufacture of small to large sized runs of labels, on rolls enabling us to continue to provide a solution for all your varnished labelling requirements.

Posted in General by Philip

A question that we are often asked is “what is thermal printing” and the answer is that this is  a method that is often preferred when producing barcode labels. Barcode printers use either direct thermal or thermal transfer techniques to apply ink to labels. Put simply a thermal printer is a non impact printer which works by using a print head which contains a lot of small heating pins that on contact, effectively burn dots onto special coated paper.

By using this method the barcode is easily readable, which is not always the case should, for example inkjet printers be used as they cannot  print on many different materials because of ink splatter and bleeding, and are usually limited to printing paper. Thermal printing can take two forms, either ink ribbons to apply the barcode directly into the label, or alternatively the thermal transfer printer which uses heat to blacken the barcode onto the label.

Although both of these methods will produce barcodes, however those which are produced from direct thermal printers are more likely to become unreadable, particularly if the label is exposed to heat, sunlight, and chemicals. We have dedicated barcode label software and we can scan and verify samples of the bar codes we produce to ensure they meet specification as well as taking random samples from every batch produced ensuring the highest quality. We pride ourselves in the barcodes we produce, so why not allow us to guide you through the process?

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

We can get a quotation to you quickly, but usually the more information we have to hand, the quicker the label pricing will be with you. It is helpful if we know what the label is to be used for, that way we can suggest the bets material, adhesive or whether it will need extra protection such as varnishing following printing.

The quantity required will affect the price, as a simple rule of thumb; the larger the quantity ordered the more competitive the price. Having said that we are willing to supply short runs, but we have a minimum charge of £45.00, so it may be beneficial to increase the amount you order. Size also determines that price too, we have hundreds of stock sizes and we also can provide you with a bespoke size, but if this involves a size we do not have, a charge will be made, this can be anything form £32.00 to £90.00 we will always discuss this with you and can often find one from stock that is very close.

If you have not used us before and do not have your own artwork we will make a charge for this, also if we need to amend the artwork at your request which you supply to us could also incur a charge. What will the label be used for, cards, bottles, packaging also what environment will the label find itself in? WE can use adhesives that are easy peelable, or a permanent adhesive, very low temperatures, under water, there are adhesives for every environment.

What longevity will the label be likely to have, thermal direct printing does have a tendency to be sensitive to heat and light. Tell us and we can suggest solutions, thermal transfer for example. The more information that you can give us the faster the quotation will be with you and the label will be fit for purpose.

Posted in General by Philip

DataLabel has been producing barcode labels for many years and we are familiar with all the necessary procedures that must be employed if a good readable barcode label is made to sit on the product. Barcode labels are imperative for most modern businesses today; there cannot be a product that does not have one in the commercial or retail world.

Barcode labels can be customised and often these can be produced to include elements such as a company logo, this will link the product intrinsically to your company or business. It is worth remembering that although the product may be produced here in the UK and sold here too, it can be used all across the globe, the benefits that the barcode label can bring are immense.

Naturally the first important step is to generate the image for the important code and it is now that such things as company logos can be incorporated into the barcode labels themselves. Generally the image is created through the use of a thermal transfer or digitally. From here the barcode label can be produced on standard rolls, which is the popular way or through a wide range of “pre-sized” dies for printing your barcode labels. The material is also important and we can produce these on a variety of materials, normally paper or polypropylene. Adhesives are important too and we can offer a wide variety of different adhesives for the barcode to take into account the different surfaces that they are likely to be used upon.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

We have said it many times but, a label is often the most visible reminder your customers have of your company and its products. That’s why the appearance of your label is extremely important. However, the appearance alone doesn’t define the quality of a label; above all a label must serve a practical purpose for a specific application.

Manufacturers and retailers today use custom labels for countless applications: product identification, delivery addressing, bar codes and QR codes, work-in-process, inventory control, pricing, promotional, and many other purposes. Naturally all of these types of label may have to adhere to differing surfaces which can include aluminum, corrugated, corrugated paper drums, glass, plastic, steel, and more.

We are constantly making strides to ensure our labels meet the needs of our customers, in fact testimony to our success is the fact that this success comes from helping our customers grow. We are fully committed to bring to the forefront technologies that will improve packaging automation, product identification and brand recognition. We have a fully committed team who are willing to help with creative solutions to our customers. DataLabel has helped thousands of customers we can help you too.

Posted in General by Philip

There are seven standard barcode labels and each one has a use that can be specific to an industry or a particular use. For example, code 39 is an alphanumeric code by which the width of the bars, colours and spacing make up a series of 43 characters, consisting of uppercase letters, A to Z numeric digits 0 to 9 and a number of special characters.

Code 128 is also an alphanumeric or numeric-only code but of a high density and it can encode all 128 characters of the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) and is used almost extensively for the shipping and packaging industries.

The code EAN8 is a code (European Article Number 8) which is derived from the EAN13 code but is a condensed a smaller version used for items which are in small packets such as cigarettes, confectionary, or smaller items.

Code EAN13 is the familiar one we see on everyday items on the grocery and other retail outlets and is the code which is are used worldwide for marking products often sold at retail tills or at the point of sale, the numbers encoded in EAN-13 bar codes are product identification numbers.

The Universal Product Code (UPC) is a specific type of code that is widely used in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand and in other countries for tracking items or goods in stores.

QR Codes are becoming more familiar to all of us and they can now be seen on advertising item, newspapers magazines and literature sent out by companies. These are used directing potential customers to websites or to give information such as telephone or email contacts and are scanned by the latest Smartphones.

The data matrix code looks in many ways similar to the QR code and is used to track items, and in the aerospace and electronic industries to identify components.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

In the wake of the scandal that has surrounded horsemeat being found in beef products such as beef burgers and some lasagne and other items, it is worth emphasising the need for clear and concise information on food labels. We feel sure that retailers and manufacturers are fully aware that this is a must, but design teams can get wrapped up in the look of the label ensuring that it is eye catching and clearly directs the customer in the direction the producer wants them to go, it might be that clear information on the content of the product could be overlooked.

It is clear that the “horse burger” problems arose through mislabelling, possibly deliberate on the part of an unscrupulous supplier in the food chain, which of course is fraud and no doubt it is still being carefully investigated. It is pretty evident from reports that there is not a health problem with the products, but some religious groups cannot eat pork for example and some of the products claim to have had pork in them. For some people nuts can have serious health issues and not advising or mislabelling can have consequences which could be fatal.

If you are providing the artwork for the label it is worth spending some time ensuring that the content of the product is checked, particularly food items.

Posted in Custom labels by Philip

For many years both here and in most western countries there has been laws to prevent misleading information on a product label. The legislation is meant to protect the consumer and provide education regarding the product’s contents and origins. As more and more products enter the stream of commerce, there have been increasing levels of legislation and monitoring of these items in order to prevent consumer problems.

To quote just one example, cigarettes are strictly controlled and they must have written warnings on cigarette packaging and in addition today rather gruesome pictures as well. Another area which is familiar to most of us is the labels that we see on products such as dietary supplements which cannot by law give misleading information about what benefits the product may have by taking it. For instance, dietary supplement packaging must contain clear and truthful information, which is information that a reasonable individual would easily understand.

If you are labelling a product that is to be sold outside of the United Kingdom, it must comply with the laws of the country of destination, most of UK products are covered in EU law but care should be exercised if sending to countries outside of Europe. If you are in any doubt, we may be able to help or at least advise where the correct information is to be found.

Posted in General by Philip