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Farm to Fork Efficiency by Labelling

Posted on by David Priestman

Today, consumers across the UK are facing a cost of living crisis. As a result, many retailers and supermarkets are striving to keep their costs down, so that they can avoid passing these onto shoppers. Within this, one area that is increasingly under scrutiny for many organisations surrounds how to improve supply chain efficiency. This is taking place at all levels across the supply chain – from “Farm to Fork”. Additionally, farmers, fresh produce producers and the large multiples are all facing increasing pressure to improve their food provenance tracking and traceability efforts, as they manage the sale and distribution of goods to consumers.

Across the world, there are effective systems for labelling that have been created to encourage this to take place. Today the responsibility for implementing these, including label printing, falls predominantly with the grower or supplier. Neil Baker, Head of Auto ID Sales for Northern Europe, BIXOLON Europe GmbH provides his insights about how farmers and fresh produce suppliers can work more effectively with supermarkets to improve efficiency throughout this entire process.

Protecting farmers, producers – and supermarkets 

In 2018 British supermarkets faced scrutiny from the UK’s Grocery Code Adjudicator for profiteering at the expense of their suppliers. At the highest level, supermarkets were reportedly fining suppliers for several reasons, including barcodes that were not compliant with their own systems. Since then, the UK Grocery Code Adjudicator stepped in to protect these producers and suppliers, and has encouraged the likes of Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and the Co-Op to improve their understanding of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCoP).

Fast forward to 2023, 10 Downing Street hosted a UK Farm to Fork Summit. During this summit, the UK government announced that £12.5 million is being made available to support research projects that promote environmental sustainability and resilience on farms – and a working group to bring together plant breeders, food manufacturers and retailers, to agree an approach that enables products to reach consumer shelves. It also pointed out that many farmers are taking advantage of an available £168m million grant funding, that supports investments in productivity, animal health and welfare and the environment (Section 3). Further, it announced that farmers should be paid a fairer price for produce, and new powers have been introduced through the Agriculture Act 2022 to support the sector further (Section 4).

Additionally, it has decided to further endorse the important role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) and its efforts in ensuring fairness in the UK food supply chain (Section 4). This role sees the GCA act as an independent regulator, ensuring that designated retailers and supermarkets treat their direct suppliers lawfully and fairly – while ensuring compliance with its Groceries Supply Code of Practice. This has many goals, and is trying to combat variations in supply agreements, supply chain procedures, and ensure faster and fairer payments for all. Ultimately, while much of its code serves suppliers, all parties concerned would benefit from familiarising themselves with it, as it would ensure that everyone operates cohesively too.

Enabling transparency and traceability

Another important piece for all parties to consider, as they strive to work together effectively, is how to enable the supply chain efficiency and transparency that is required to achieve the traceability and tracking requirements that supermarkets and various governments require today. This is where working with the likes of standards bodies, like GS1, to implement GS1 Standards can help. GS1’s standards, frameworks and coding systems enable retailers, farmers and fresh produce suppliers to track and record all the necessary information that enables traceability to occur accurately and digitally. While they are not technology providers, they provide the knowledge and framework for how to standardise on a system that works.

Take this scenario, a farmer delivers a pallet of apples to a large supermarket chain. As part of a commitment to label produce effectively, the farmer places a 1D code – a barcode – on the pallet. This label links back to a digital, backend infrastructure that contains essential tracking and traceability information about the provenance of his apples. When linked effectively between suppliers – through a GS1 framework, for instance – supply chain transparency and traceability across the board becomes powerful. Farmers, fresh produce suppliers, retailers and supermarkets alike are increasingly appreciating the value of this.

Assuming the label on the pallet hasn’t been compromised and is legible, it can be scanned by warehouse operatives who can ensure the pallet moves to the next phase in its journey to the store shelf. Along each stage, labels and their barcodes are used to carry and convey information, and direct the flow of goods towards the shelf – and, eventually, the consumer’s shopping basket. Therefore it is crucial that the entire value chain adopts an appropriate digital system, that standardises around a proven framework, such as that proposed by GS1.

Producing labels and barcodes of a high quality

Naturally it stands to reason that an appropriate digital backend infrastructure underpins this entire process for farmers, fresh produce firms and retailers alike – and, all tied to an important barcode. However, it’s no good if a label that is printed with a code on it – be it a 1D or a 2D code – is not of sufficient quality. While the GCA has clamped down on previously poor practices by supermarkets, it is important for all parties concerned to strive for operational excellence. For some parties, this might involve improving their supply chain, packaging and labelling policies, and for others it might just be that they need to familiarise themselves further with these policies when working with various organisations across the value chain. What is clear, though, is that when it comes to the printing of labels by suppliers, it is important that industrial label printing technologies print high quality legible labels. Moreover, do they appreciate their responsibilities and the policies set by supermarkets?

While there are many printing technology providers available in the market, it’s important to really consider a long-term investment in proven technology here. Often organisations make the mistake of buying “cheap”. They buy cheap printers, cheap media and cheap consumables (e.g. inks). Buying like this often leads to equipment failure, and the consumables are often generally faulty. A better approach to consider is to work with a printing technology provider that has a proven track record with providing consulting and printers in this space, designed for the fresh produce or grocery sector. Typically thermal transfer industrial label printers are often more robust, and vendors that have been established for several years come with better aftersales support, and access to consumables more quickly and cost effectively too.

Farm to Fork

Six months on from the Farm to Fork Summit, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) went on record to say, “I have urged the new Secretary of State to ensure Defra’s supply chain reviews within the dairy, horticulture and poultry sectors deliver much-needed improvements to the operation, fairness and transparency for all farmers and growers, so we can continue what we do best – provide high-quality, climate-friendly food for the nation.” Based on this statement, and the work that the GCA and the likes of the GS1 are doing, all parties are trying to pull in the right direction to achieve greater supply chain transparency and traceability.

This can only be successful long-term if farmers, fresh produce providers, retailers and supermarkets work more effectively together. This needs to be underpinned by digitisation and effective thermal transfer industrial label printing technology. Clearly labels and barcode printing have an important role to play too – however, without the right kinds of printers in place to print and share vital label information correctly, to a high quality standard, across the value chain, these labels will fail to do the communication job that they are required to do. Why bother going to all that trouble to set up a traceability and supply chain transparency framework up, only to be let down at the last minute by a poorly printed barcode? By embracing these solutions, stakeholders across the supply chain are poised to usher in a new era of efficiency and accountability, safeguarding the integrity of the “Farm to Fork” journey.

Continue reading “Farm to Fork Efficiency by Labelling”

Peak Season Efficiency with Mobile Label Printing

Posted on by David Priestman

Peak season is a chaotic and profitable time for the majority of retailers and wider value chain. Websites and ecommerce engines need to be fully functioning, able to accept orders and fulfil deliveries – and warehouses and fulfilment centres need to be ready to meet customers’ delivery needs fast. Alongside this, last mile delivery operators need to ensure they have the right processes and systems in place to ship goods on time. In contrast, instore retail must make sure that its warehouses are operationally capable of picking, packing and sending goods to stores in time for shoppers to buy their products over the festive season.

Therefore, for many retailers, third-party logistics operators, warehouses and last mile shipment providers, organising logistics operations effectively with packaging labelling forms a crucial part of their success through and beyond the peak season. Its value, as part of the process, is understated. Jay Kim, Managing Director BIXOLON Europe GmbH explains the important role of using linerless mobile printers to print labels that can be used to organise warehouse operations, support with last mile delivery, and communicate with consumers.

How mobility is refining warehouse operations

Within many warehouse and fulfilment centres there are often stations placed around the distribution centre where printing takes place. This is because many sites and their operational processes have been designed for stationary label printers. While traditionally effective at printing labels, it means processes were designed around the location of printers – meaning that warehouses and staff duties were created with this in mind. It is not uncommon, for example, to see printing stations that have parcels taken to them by warehouse staff, to have labels printed and stuck onto goods. In many instances, labels printed come with liners too. This is problematic because when the liner is removed from the label – often a backing – it needs to be disposed of correctly in additional bins.

These bins take up a lot of space and liners can end up on the floor by accident, causing health and safety slip hazards. This becomes important to review across the supply chain too. When you consider some ecommerce retailers are shipping hundreds or thousands of goods daily, and many last mile delivery and shipping operators – like DHL, UPS and the Fedex- are responsible for managing and delivering even higher volumes of goods than that.

Another scenario within warehouses and fulfilment centres that is ripe for improvement is shelf labelling. Often, labels on shelves need to be changed quickly within warehouses. Through peak or any important seasonal period this might happen more frequently as products move around the warehouse or label codes or pricing changes. Traditionally, staff would have printed labels at a stationary printing station and then would walk to each appropriate shelf and change the label – a time consuming process. They’d have to first print the labels, then change them and then dispose of the liners. Again, more waste containers are needed and liners often end up on the floor accidently, causing a slip hazard.

Redesigning efficiency and productivity around mobile linerless printing

This is where mobile, linerless printing offers a better solution. Arming staff with mobile devices and mobile linerless printers enables them to travel around warehouses and fulfilment centres freely. They have autonomy to take on more, their roles can be enhanced and they can become more productive – for instance, using this technology has the potential to enable teams to pick, pack and ship more goods more effectively over peak periods. Which is crucial when its often a struggle to recruit and retain extra staff through and beyond this period.

Traditionally, over 10 years ago, mobile printing was perceived as expensive too, but this perception is now long outdated, and times have changed. The tables have turned. Mobile, linerless printing offers cost and efficiency benefits that supersede many stationary printing solutions and processes. This is because the reels of printing paper used contain more paper to print on; and they don’t need to make space for an extra liner that backs onto the label. The paper being used is often more eco-friendly because it has no liner and because it comes from sustainable resources.

Often less paper is used when printing too. Organisations only need to print as much label as they need, to convey the key information that is necessary to have on the label, at the time of printing. This approach replaces the idea of using a traditional, standard sized set of labels, which often sees the printing space on labels not being used optimally. For instance, an oversized label might be used incorrectly to share only a little bit of information and the traditional liners would need to be disposed of properly too – in this case using the precise amount of paper to print on, via a mobile linerless printer, would be less wasteful, more cost effective and more impactful. Especially since the print quality is better and more robust too.

Further, workflows can be redesigned accordingly, and since more can be printed from a roll, there is less waste to throw away when the roll is complete – also, fewer liners can be found on the ground in the warehouse or fulfilment centre causing health and safety problems.

Improving communication with customers during last mile delivery

It’s not only the warehouse and fulfilment centre that stands to gain from mobile linerless printing. The last mile does too. Often, during the final phase of delivery, when parcels are delivered at consumers’ homes they either accept their goods because they are “in”, or they don’t. When someone is not around to receive, sign-for and accept their parcel, often the delivery company leaves a note. Postal and delivery companies regularly do this.

When leaving a note, the delivery person often writes a message on a card to say when they stopped off to deliver the parcel, and it explains to the consumer how they can collect their delivery given they were not around to accept it. This communication process with customers can fail and cause a bad customer experience if the handwriting and information shared on the delivery note is not legible. Often, information presented can be inaccurate too.

To combat this, linerless mobile printers are increasingly being used to improve the customer communication process. A linerless label can be printed and attached to the delivery note, which is then posted through the consumer’s door. A standard set up could be designed to convey all the necessary accurate information to the customer about how they can collect their new parcel. This process can function alongside other customer proof of delivery processes and support them too. Further, since liners are not used with mobile printers, there is no litter and waste, presenting an additional environmental benefit.

Gone are the days when mobile printing was considered expensive and ineffective. We’ve all seen the power of mobile to transform many field service operations – warehouse, logistics, retail and e-commerce teams are not excluded from these wins. Mobile, linerless label printers, when used alongside mobile devices in warehouses, fulfilment centres, and during last-mile deliveries, have the potential to transform operational processes.

It makes you wonder why any retail, ecommerce or warehouse team doesn’t consider exploring its benefits – especially when many organisations are considering how they can improve their costs and operations to save money for themselves and for their customers.

Taking Control of Parcel Delivery

Posted on by David Priestman

Small ecommerce businesses are hugely reliant on the quality and timeliness of parcel delivery services to ensure customer satisfaction – and growing numbers are taking control of the process by bringing parcel labelling in house, as Jay Kim, Managing Director, BIXOLON Europe GmbH explains.

Delivery Imperative

Ecommerce companies have long recognised the importance of a robust, reliable delivery experience, from offering customers delivery choice to ensuring products arrive on time. New research, however, reveals just how damaging a poor delivery experience can be: almost two thirds (63%) of frequent shoppers in the UK will abandon an online retailer over a poor delivery experience. The situation is similar in France, where 53% of shoppers will abandon a retailer, dropping to 38% of German shoppers. Improving the shipping and delivery processes, therefore, has a very significant value. Yet from extended queues at Post Offices, to damaged barcodes and labels leading to parcels being returned, rather than arriving with the customer, many smaller businesses continue to struggle to achieve the level of delivery certainty required to support essential customer promises.

With Post Offices closing and the Royal Mail offering a parcel pick up service, many companies are reviewing delivery strategies and taking responsibility for their own parcel and post labelling.

Efficient and Green

Investment in technology such as label printers has, of course, always been an option, but traditional products had some limitations – such as the need to print several labels on one sheet of A4. The latest generation of linerless label printers is completely changing the experience for small businesses. These printers, which use a roll of sticky labels that require no backing, provide a new level of flexibility.

Labels are not pre-cut, allowing companies to print labels of any size. This means that all the information required – including barcodes, addresses and product safety information – can be included in a single label. Furthermore, linerless labels are far more robust, which means barcodes are safer from the damage caused by rain water, sunlight or scratches, leading for far greater delivery certainty.

In addition, linerless labels also support companies’ sustainability goals. The lack of plastic liner ensures businesses comply with the EU directive on packing and packaging waste. In addition, because labels are cut to size there is no wastage. And with the price of linerless labels dropping significantly in recent years, there is no additional cost associated with the green approach.

Post Office Improvements

Linerless label technology is also helping postal services to improve their delivery experiences. In Europe, postal workers are using mobile linerless printers for ‘you were out’ parcel delivery information. Rather than the scrawled paper notes that customers can struggle to decipher, a postal delivery person can print the time of delivery, location of parcel for collection and opening times on the label, which is then attached to a paper card and posted through the letterbox. The linerless technology ensures there is no plastic wastage that has to be carried – or dropped – making the process much easier and safer to manage.

In addition, this technology is being used to offer self-service access to services within Post Offices. Kiosks are becoming ever more popular, allowing people to pay for shipping and print their address labels in the Post Office – and reducing the pressure on queues. Critically, printer manufacturers are leveraging the vast amounts of data collected from diverse printer products to deliver the new levels of printer reliability that are essential in any self-service experience.

Ecommerce businesses increasingly need to offer flexible delivery options to entice customers to buy – and ensuring delivery promises are met is key to achieving repeat business. Whether through self-service kiosks or in-house printing, small businesses that embrace the chance to take control of the printing process, especially the use of robust and sustainable linerless labels, can achieve another level of vital delivery certainty to reinforce the end-to-end customer experience.

ecommerce Shipping with Linerless Labelling Printers

Posted on by David Priestman

BIXOLON Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of BIXOLON, the global manufacturer of advanced receipt, label and mobile printers, has partnered with the mail order and ecommerce retailer, Erwin Müller Versandhaus, to provide linerless labelling printers that improve operational efficiency and sustainability efforts during order fulfilment. The mail order, e-commerce home and houseware textile retailer has worked in conjunction with GreenForest IT GmbH and BIXOLON to acquire and install BIXOLON’s XL5-40CT Direct Thermal Linerless Printer with LCD Display and Serial and Ethernet Interfaces.

Efficient, eco-friendling label printing that improves shipping operations

Erwin Müller was founded in Germany in 1951. The family-run textile wholesaler has expanded over the years to become one of the leading mail order companies for home and household textiles. It has been trading online in the DACH region since 1997, and it scaled its operations internationally in 2009. The business is always considering how it can innovate and improve its proposition for customers. It identified an opportunity to enhance the internal operations of its e-commerce business – so an area it focused on improving centred on how its order fulfilment and shipping team could deploy more eco-friendly label printing.

With that in mind, Erwin Müller sought a better labelling printing solution that would enable it to reduce waste during printing (e.g. remove the need for liners); enable it to deal with historic challenges associated with media storage on printers; and to reduce the expensive purchasing costs related to the previous traditional liner label printing solution that it used, which printed goods receipts, transfers, production orders and item refinement. After considering printer options, Erwin Müller settled on a linerless labelling printing solution that could be seamlessly integrated with its existing shipping and order fulfilment system.

Speaking about the integration and upgrade, Andreas Straub, Head of IT, Erwin Müller Versandhaus GmbH says, “During the selection process, we had to consider factors such as compatibility of new technology and their existing systems, the availability of the required hardware and software and the overall feasibility of implementing the solution within our shipping department.”

Results: installing the BIXOLON XL5-40CT Direct Thermal Linerless printer system

Erwin Müller worked with system integrators Greenforest IT GmbH and BIXOLON to put together a tailored linerless printing solution for the retailer. Erwin Müller purchased the BIXOLON XL5-40CT Direct Thermal Linerless printer with LCD display, with Serial interface and Ethernet connection, capable printing at 203dpi print resolution. The printer is connected via an IP and configured to print from PCs running on a Windows system based in the warehouse.

Erwin Müller has successfully deployed the new labelling solution within its shipping department. The new printers drive efficiency gains and have reduced costs, contributing to the overall improvement of shipping. They also reduce waste and align with the company’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its labelling process during fulfilment.

Andreas Straub, Head of IT, Erwin Müller Versandhaus GmbH adds, “The implementation of the BIXOLON linerless printing solution has improved our shipping operations by increasing efficiency and speed, reducing waste and cutting down on operational costs. It contributes to a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach, positively impacting the company’s overall performance.”

Jay Kim, Managing Director, BIXOLON Europe GmbH says, “Erwin Müller is a leader in its field and it has been great for BIXOLON to help it improve the operational efficiency within its fulfilment centres during shipping through using our XL5-40CT Direct Thermal Linerless Printer. Labels and the printing thereof are so important as part of the shipping process for e-commerce retailers, and this applies to almost any warehouse and logistics environment.”

Kim goes onto say, “BIXOLON’s technological advancements and innovations are a key reason behind the selection of its printers by customers. Highlighted in products such as the XL5-40, BIXOLON holds the mechanical expertise to navigate the ongoing print and maintance complexities which are required when working with linerless adhesive media.”

Range of Logistics Printing Solutions at Parcel+PostEXPO

Posted on by David Priestman

BIXOLON Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of BIXOLON, the global manufacturer of advanced Receipt, Label and Mobile printers, invites visitors to join them on stand 12.204 at Parcel+Post Expo 2023, where it will be showcasing its competitive range of printing solutions tailored to meet the needs of the Post and Logistics industry.

Key exhibition product highlights will include:

• Mobile Printing Solutions – Named 10x World’s Number One Mobile Receipt Printer Manufacturer, BIXOLON will be demonstrating its top of the range Mobile Receipt, Ticket and Label printing solutions. These include the premium XM7-40 4-inch (112mm) Auto-ID mobile Liner and Linerless Label printer and the best-selling SPP-R200IIIplus 2-inch (58mm) highly adaptive Mobile Receipt and Label printer.
• Industrial and Desktop Label Printers – Showcasing the latest in desktop labelling innovation, BIXOLON will be showcasing the elite of its Desktop Labelling solutions with the XD5-40 4-inch (118 mm) Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer label printer, alongside the XL5-40 4-inch (114mm) dedicated Desktop Linerless Label solution. Additionally, BIXOLON will also be demonstrating the highly powerful, optimum performance XT5-40 4-inch (114 mm) industrial labelling solution, ideal for high volume label printing in a variety of applications including Logistics, Manufacturing and Warehousing.

“BIXOLON has been expanding its Auto-ID labelling portfolio over the past few years, incorporating the latest technologies into its printing solutions and recognising the importance of Linerless technology,” states Jay Kim, Managing Director, BIXOLON Europe GmbH. “Parcel+Post EXPO, is the leading industry event for the global parcel, e-commerce logistics and postal industries, providing an ideal platform for networking and exploring current industry dynamics, as we constantly look at the market to see where we can develop our products according to our customers evolving needs.”

BIXOLON is a leading global manufacturer of innovative, advanced printing technologies including point-of-sale receipt, label, Auto ID and mobile printers for a wide range of environments. Millions of BIXOLON printers are used today in retail, hospitality, healthcare, banking, ticketing, post/parcel, warehousing and other transaction-intensive industries. In 2023, for the tenth consecutive year BIXOLON was named global mobile receipt printer market leader by Japanese research company Chunichisha.

Warehouse Track and Trace

Posted on by David Priestman

Escalating costs and continued demand for warehouse space are placing ever greater pressure on organisations to optimise existing warehouse efficiency by track and trace. Yet with warehouse operatives still hard to recruit, how can existing staff achieve the levels of pick and pack accuracy, and speed, required to meet deadlines without compromising the overarching precision needed, that underpins a great customer experience?

In a pressurised environment, it is often hard to ensure robust processes are always followed. If parcel labels are inadvertently damaged by overstretched staff rushing to load pallets, barcodes cannot be read and deliveries fail. A lack of resources and a need to prioritise pick and pack can lead to physical stock takes being repeatedly postponed, undermining the accuracy of inventory information. Pressure to hit quotas can lead to packaging and label liners being discarded on the floor at times, creating serious health and safety risks which undermine the workforce experience, adding to the risk of staff loss.

With warehouse improvement now a priority, Jay Kim, Managing Director, BIXOLON Europe GmbH explains how innovations in labelling technologies, including linerless and RFID labels, are transforming cost, efficiency and safety throughout warehouses, while also delivering additional sustainability benefits.

Cost of Failed Delivery

For many organisations throughout the manufacturing, logistics and ecommerce sectors, the quality of the delivery experience has become a serious concern in recent years. From delays due to supply chain glitches and Post Office strikes, to inconsistent performance from couriers, missed or late deliveries can add significant cost to any business.

The problems are not, however, solely due to failures of third-party delivery organisations. How many parcels fail to reach the customer in the first place due to damaged labels? Barcodes are easily damaged, by weather and scratches, and if a barcode cannot be read at any stage of the fulfilment process, the implications on the business can be very significant.

From the demands on customer service, to the difficulty associated with getting the product back into the supply chain and sending a replacement, and the impact on customer perception, a single damaged barcode can have a cost that far exceeds the value of the product. For ecommerce providers, the cost is even greater, with almost two thirds (63%) of frequent shoppers in the UK abandoning an online retailer over a poor delivery experience. This is also true for 53% of French and 38% of German customers.

Robust Labelling

Better quality printer and labelling technology is reducing the risk of barcode damage associated with traditional thermal direct printing. New generation linerless printers, ensure the barcode is protected from damage due to heat, sunlight, rain water and scratches at every stage of the journey. Increasing label resilience can significantly improve delivery timeliness and experience across the customer base, reducing the impact on customer service and eradicating the cost of providing replacement products.

One of the additional benefits of linerless labels is their flexibility. Rather than the constraint of specific label size, linerless labels can be cut to length. This allows the warehouse to include all the pertinent information on one label, rather than requiring one for a barcode, one for country specific safety information and so on. Indeed, the ability to include all information on one label removes the need for multiple printers within the packing department, allowing further streamlining of warehouse operations to drive additional efficiency.

Furthermore, by eradicating the plastic label backing, these linerless labels also deliver a number of additional benefits, not least compliance with the EU directive on packing and packaging waste. With no plastic liner to dispose of, warehouses automatically reduce costs and enhance their sustainability credentials. Indeed, each roll of linerless labels includes 40%-50% more label in the same space, reducing the weight, volume and hence carbon dioxide emissions during transport. Plus, with each label cut to the size required, there is no waste.

Improving Information

Of course, barcodes are not the solution for all inventory – in many cases, items are too large, heavy or unwieldy to allow staff the line of sight required for the optical barcode scanning. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has become a valuable tool for these goods, enabling traceability without requiring line of sight. Adding dedicated RFID printers to the warehouse environment transforms the accessibility of RFID technology by allowing companies to include all the information upon a trackable label.

Adding RFID transforms the efficiency of inventory control. With no need for line of sight, the entire process can be swiftly and accurately completed with minimal manual effort. Given the on-going lack of available skilled warehouse staff, and their rising costs, the ability to allocate valuable staff to urgent pick and pack tasks without compromising inventory accuracy is compelling.

Furthermore, with the rise in theft across the supply chain, the ability to efficiently add RFID labelling to the warehouse processes is becoming increasingly attractive, especially in areas such as sports clothing, that are prone to high levels of product theft. Any attempt to remove RFID-tagged goods immediately raises an alert to security staff, allowing companies to both intervene when theft occurs and create an active deterrent to potential thieves.

There is one final, and important, benefit offered by linerless labels – better worker health and safety. With recruitment and retention of staff a continued challenge, warehouse managers need to ensure every aspect of the environment is safe. Label liners can be slip hazards for both people and forklifts, especially when warehouse staff are under time pressure. Swapping to linerless technology removes the dangerous swathes of label liners on the warehouse floor, immediately improving health and safety and improving the working environment.

Furthermore, this technology is both accessible and affordable. Linerless and RFID printers have been available for some time but, to date, have been adopted by approximately 10% of warehouses – in part due to the higher prices of linerless labels when first introduced. With linerless label prices now on a par with traditional labels, the business case is now compelling. Whether the primary concern is delivery performance, inventory control, creating a safer environment, improving green credentials, or all of the above, making the change to innovative printing offers significant opportunities to address a number of operational challenges throughout a warehouse operation.

Dedicated Range of Labelling Printing Solutions

Posted on by David Priestman

Bixolon Europe GmbH, global manufacturer of advanced receipt, label and mobile printers, announces its presence at LabelExpo 2023, where it will showcase on stand 9A63 its dedicated range of labelling printing solutions on the stage of the world’s largest label and package printing event.

Key exhibition product highlights will include:
• Linerless vs Liner Labelling Printing Zone – BIXOLON will put the spotlight on comparing linerless and liner label printing by showcasing its extremely reliable, environmentally friendly and cost-efficient XL5-40 4-inch (114mm) desktop direct thermal linerless label printer side by side with the XD3-40 4-inch (118 mm) direct thermal traditional label printer, giving visitors the opportunity to understand the many different advantages of traditional liner and linerless labelling technologies.

• RFID Labelling – BIXOLON will present a comprehensive selection of RFID print and encode printers, including mobile, desktop and industrial models. Among them, the XM7-40R 4-inch (112mm), the premium mobile RFID label printer with advanced features, and the XD5-40tR 4-inch (118mm) RFID enabled thermal transfer desktop label printer. In addition, the XT5-40NR 4-inch (114mm) thermal transfer RFID label printer, which provides outstanding power and performance for industrial use.

• Best Seller Highlights – Offering high performance variable width printing solutions, BIXOLON will present its best-selling range of labelling printers, including the popular XM7 series featuring the premium XM7-20 2-inch (58mm), XM7-30 3-inch (80mm) and XM7-40 4-inch (112mm) auto-ID mobile liner and linerless label printers, along with a wide range of accessories. Alongside, the budget-friendly XT3-404-inch (114mm) industrial labelling line, the unique XQ-840 4-inch (118mm) two-in-one, stand-alone label printing solution with integrated tablet, and the compact SLP-DX220 2-inch (60mm) barcode label printer, together with the highly reliable XD5-40 4-inch (118mm) desktop direct thermal printer suitable for small to mid-range businesses.

BIXOLON will also be joined on the stand-by Iconex™, the iconic inventor and continued leader in receipts and leading provider of unrivalled, best-in-class labelling and tracking technology, who will showcase its MAXStick® Linerless paper and Iconex Sticky Media™ liner-free label identification solutions in conjunction with BIXOLON printers.

“LabelExpo provides an immersive trade fair experience, offering a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge advancements in the label and package printing industry. With a focus on the latest labelling trends, BIXOLON’s participation at LabelExpo reaffirms the company commitment to continuous innovation in this ever-evolving market” explains Jay Kim, Managing Director, BIXOLON Europe GmbH. “Exhibiting alongside Iconex™ at LabelExpo is the perfect opportunity for both companies to expand our networks within this significant industry.”

BIXOLON is a leading global manufacturer of innovative, advanced printing technologies including point-of-sale receipt, label, Auto ID and mobile printers for a wide range of environments. Millions of BIXOLON printers are used today in retail, hospitality, healthcare, banking, ticketing, post/parcel, warehousing and other transaction-intensive industries. In 2022, for the ninth consecutive year the company was named global mobile receipt printer market leader by Japanese research company Chunichisha.

Bixolon Presents Dedicated Labelling Range

Posted on by David Priestman

BIXOLON Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of the global manufacturer of advanced receipt, labelling and mobile printers, welcome visitors on stand 4/F80 at LogiMAT 2023 from the 25-27.04.2023, where it will be showcasing its advanced range of printing solutions for the intralogistics market.

Key exhibition product highlights will include:
• Hands on Shipping Demonstration – BIXOLON will be exhibiting its extremely reliable, eco-friendly and cost-efficient XL5-40 4-inch (114mm) linerless printer. Featuring the hands-on, weighing and scanning shipping application which uses XI software, the optional programming language that enables users to develop an application to fit their unique labelling requirements.
• RFID labelling – Presenting its comprehensive range of mobile, desktop and industrial RFID print and encode printers, BIXOLON will be demonstrating the feature-rich premium mobile RFID label printer XM7-40R 4-inch (112mm), plus the XD5-40tR 4-inch (118mm) RFID enabled thermal transfer desktop label printer. Alongside, the highly powerful, optimum performance XT5-40NR 4-inch (114mm) thermal transfer industrial RFID label printer.
• Best Seller Highlights – Offering high-performance labelling printing solutions of variable widths, the company will be presenting its logistics best seller range, including the cost-effective XT3-404-inch (114mm) industrial labelling line, the unique XQ-840 4-inch (118mm) and the slimline SLP-DX220 barcode label printer. Alongside, the highly reliable XD5-40 4-inch (118mm) and XD3-40 4-inch (118mm) desktop direct thermal and thermal transfer printer series, which offer additional features to suit different budget ranges. Last but not least, the outstanding XM7 series featuring the premium XM7-20 2-inch (58mm), XM7-30 3-inch (72mm) and XM7-40 4-inch (112mm) auto-ID mobile liner and linerless label printers, along with a range of suitable accessories.

“BIXOLON has been building upon its Auto-ID labelling portfolio over the past few years, incorporating the latest technologies to its printing solutions,” explains Jay Kim, Managing Director, BIXOLON Europe GmbH. “LogiMAT allows us to meet and discuss the latest industry trends while constantly looking to the market to find where we can develop our products depending on the evolution of our customer’s needs.”

BIXOLON is a leading global manufacturer of innovative, advanced printing technologies including point-of-sale receipt, label, Auto ID and mobile printers for a wide range of environments. Millions of BIXOLON printers are used today in retail, hospitality, healthcare, banking, ticketing, post/parcel, warehousing and other transaction-intensive industries. In 2022, for the ninth consecutive year BIXOLON was named global mobile receipt printer market leader by Japanese research company Chunichisha.

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