We are all familiar with the barcode, it is on just about every conceivable product that has been made for many years now, and so familiar is it to us all that most of us do not even notice it any more. However, how many people realise the numerous functions that can be performed with the barcode? Put simply, barcodes have become part of our everyday lives.

So what, apart from the familiar pricing information we see at the cash register does the barcode do? They can be used for the identification of property or important documents as an example. This way they are the ideal way to track inventory or stock movement. They can even be used between departments or organisations, possibly to monitor the life cycle of a product is another use for the barcode.

What we do know is that by using barcodes greatly reduces the amount of data errors; no longer do we have to rely upon the human form of entry by hand into registers, computers or manuals. When a barcode is read by a scanner the data in a database is updated automatically, very cost effective and a way which will reduce man hours and business overheads greatly.

By using a simple hand held scanner anyone who needs to access the data held on the barcode is able to have this information easily and quickly, a sure way to improve business efficiency. Systems which have barcodes can provide up-to-the-minute information about numerous things and they are to hand in the blink of the scanner.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

The effect of the recession has meant that many companies are delaying the purchase of new equipment until such time as finances improve. Whilst spending money on asset labelling and tracking might seem to be an expense that a business could well do without, but in the long run it could prove to be very helpful in saving money.

If the decision has been made to postpone the purchase or replacement of existing assets, it might be a good idea to conduct an equipment audit in order to prevent any items or goods from being stolen or misplaced. This also serves a dual function of analysing the security of the business and taking additional measures if they are needed.

Asset labels are a simple tool that can be used to record as well as identifying valuable business equipment. These asset labels are a valuable tool when performing auditing of all the business equipment, helping to keep track of all the company’s goods. The printing of asset labels can be done on aluminium foils and polyester material both of these are very durable materials and can be attached to almost any surface. There are also some asset labels which leave a ‘void’ mark indicating that the label has been tampered with.

Asset labelling and tracking programmes increase the efficiency of organisations, which through them help to determine exactly which piece of equipment is where at any given point in time. The tracking programme also keeps track of useful information such as date of purchase, repairs and maintenance.

Posted in Asset Tags by Philip

One thing that is sure to that your product is noticed by customers and that is by using an attractive and well designed customised label. This will create awareness, the most important thing when establishing a brand identity.

Well customised and designed labels are going to be noticed by customers. This is sure to increase the sales for your company ensure that your company profile is at the forefront. With our custom label service we can create the exact label you require, tailored to your needs, specification and run size.

We will be happy to use your artwork, or we can help you through our art department, design a customised label that will ensure that your product stands out among the others that crowd the market. Your label can printed on most substrates including vinyl, paper, polyester and a range of tamper evident material.

Barcodes do not present a problem as we handle all major barcode systems; including the most popular EAN (retail) codes, code 39 and 128 symbologies. The all important adhesive can be applied to suit your precise needs including peelable, permanent and extra permanent adhesive.

Call us on 01293 551520 or email sales@datalabel.co.uk and we can talk through your ideas and give you a quotation for your customised labels.

Posted in Custom labels by Philip

Today many people are field based or even work from home and less emphasis is placed upon the time when a business may have had a stable number of staff who all worked in the office; then there was no need to track company items. Add to that turnover of staff is now more prevalent, with people moving jobs around twice as often as they did just a few decades ago.

Because of this and the fact that companies are now offering more flexibility in terms of work location it’s often the case that company equipment will be removed from site. Naturally tracking the location of valuable equipment such as laptops mobile phones and similar items makes it imperative that these items have asset labels on them. By tagging office equipment, managers don’t have to worry when company assets are removed from company premises.

When an asset tag or label has been fixed to valuable equipment, the item is less likely to be stolen or be lost as the person using the item will be careful to look after the item properly. We have a wide variety of asset labels and tags to offer to business, these include vinyl, polypropylene, polyester, aluminium, tamper evident, or destructible vinyl asset labels and stickers. Give us a call and we will be pleased to discuss all the options with you.

Posted in Asset Tags by Philip

Product labels do not always live in a clean environment and there are times when dirt, dust and grime can just about render a label unreadable, such as a warehouse label, or one where the product is likely come into contact with these sorts of conditions.

Taking warehouses an example, some have environments in which many labelling products simply aren’t up to the job. It is in these conditions that a label can become unreadable, fall off and this can lead to stock being misplaced if the label becomes damaged. To prevent this from happening it is necessary to have a label which is designed to withstand the rigours of these conditions and this applies particularly to labels which are fastened to pallets. Pallet barcode labels are made from 3M white or silver polyester and when these are fixed to the pallet remain they will remain in situ for as long as they are needed. The main advantage to this material is that it can be wiped clean and the dirt removed from it, also the printed information will always be readable and will not discolour.

Other labels which are perhaps used in factories, will need a more permanent labelling solution, these can include container barcode labels. These labels can be attached to just about any surface including polyethylene and polypropylene and by over-laminating on the surface of the labels, ensures that they are extremely durable and very long lasting

Posted in General by Philip

We have seen that barcoding has been part of the technology infrastructure of business for many years. While the technology is not new, the many uses for bar coding do not stand still and we are today seeing many new applications which re only just becoming relevant.

We can say that is does not matter what your needs for a barcode maybe, we at Data Label will have come across it before and the technical staff can assist you in developing exactly what you need for the most appropriate barcoding solution, help you will symbologies for that are best suited for your requirements. Barcodes on their own will not drive down costs, it depends upon its application but correctly used barcoding will increase efficiency and take away human error by the use of this clever automation of the data collection process.

For over 25 years we have produce labels of every description and we have, today, the best in digital printing equipment which allows us to produce barcode labels that cam be in full colour or simple black and white. Please visit the Data Label website, www.data-label.co.uk, email us at sales@datalabel.co.uk or give us a call on 01293 551520 and we’ll be glad to answer any questions.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

We have seen that barcodes are now used extensively throughout most industry and retail environments and depending on the application that you need the barcode for, will depend which symbology is used. There are seven commonly used symbologies and we will be more than happy to discuss with you the one that is right for your particular requirements. The most common of these are code 128, EAN 8 and 13, and the latest which is QR code.

What has then to be considered is the material that the barcode will be produced from; again this will depend upon the application. Most common is white paper; however paper can be damaged by light, water, dirt and chemicals and may be torn. Polypropylene, polyester and aluminium are other materials which will withstand the rigours for labels that are likely to be exposed to harsh environments or subject to hard use.

Laminate coatings can be applied to the label to improve their performance in many different applications; coatings are available that increase performance and durability. The all important adhesive will also determine how your barcode will withstand everyday use. Many combinations of adhesive materials are available. Some applications require permanent labels that resist exposure to temperature extremes, high humidity, chemicals or outdoor use. Again, we will be happy to advise you of the most suitable adhesive to use for the environment your barcodes will be used in.

Posted in General by Philip

In the modern world of business and particularly now it is important for companies to value their assets and to curb expenditure, with the use of asset tags. Using asset tags is a simple procedure, and they are also a cost-effective method of identifying, tracking and preserving an organisation’s property.

Computers, printers, Xerox machines, fax machines, office furniture, electrical appliances and manufacturing equipment are some of the different types of assets which are in common use in the business world. Using asset tags is a modern way to ensure that these are protected and they can easily identify and track your goods. Asset tags can be labels, decals or nameplates that are used to identify and track the assets of the company.
We have a wide range of asset tags and these can be supplied in a material that is suitable for the environment in which the asset is used or stored. We can supply asset tags and tamper evident tags in a wide range of sizes and designs, with a permanent adhesive making them extremely difficult to remove, or visibly tampered with. Our asset tags offer real value for money, they will protect your valuable assets 24 hours a day 7 days a week; you will not have to “buy twice” by using Data Label assets tags, quality pays!

Posted in Asset Tags by Philip

We are quite used to seeing the familiar bar codes on products which are parallel, adjacent bars and are found on many products. The ones with which we are most familiar with are on the products found in the retail environment, particularly supermarkets.

Barcodes have been used for many decades now and initially were used in transport and warehousing, as well as manufacturing. Today with the rise in technology and computing, barcoding has become an indispensable tool for business operations, used for many purposes including provide immediate and accurate data collection.

Over the years many industries have development standards to ensure product identification that meets their particular industry standard and compliance within their respective industry. The main advantages that barcoding offers over the manual input of price or other data is accuracy of the information. The data which is stored on the barcode is directly and immediately transferred to the computer or checkout.

Using barcodes on products ensures that customers get a better service; management has the benefit of capital and stock control, which keeps labour costs down. A wide variety of materials can be used on products to ensure that they can withstand the rigours of warehousing, as well as being readable after the product may have been subjected to high or low temperatures and other environmental factors.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

The answer would probably be, it all depends upon what the barcode is to be used on and the purpose of the barcode. If it is simply to price a product, then paper labels will usually satisfy most environments, but if it is for asset tagging or for industrial applications, something more robust may be required.

For example, high quality, durable barcodes can resist corrosion, heat, cold, UV light and solvents. They might be listed as warehouse barcode labels, industrial use barcode labels and polyester barcode labels. Of course the durability of the barcode label is not restricted to the kind of material it is printed on. Printing is also paramount so we can use the correct printing for the purpose. For example, thermally printed labels are scratch-resistant and more durable than some ordinary labels.

We have been supplying long lasting barcode labels with a wide range of adhesive backings; these can be supplied as ceramic, aluminium and polyester. Another material used for high quality long lasting barcode labels is aluminium. These will resist moderate wear and tear and corrosive chemicals.

With our wide selection of “pre-sized” dies for printing your barcode labels, this means that costs can be kept down and we also have very modern and sophisticated digital label press and finishing equipment. This has resulted in reduced production costs, a saving which we have passed onto our customers.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip