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GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_26_2016

Five Tips to Help Commercial Printers Increase Their Printed Label Business With the increasing acquisition of sheet-fed HP (Booth 1825) Indigo and dry toner digital printers, many commercial printers are taking advantage of the increased revenue stream and profi t margins from what has traditionally been a small percentage of their overall business: label printing. “As traditional conventional printing declines and moves to digital production, due to its ability to handle on demand, short run variable data with minimal setup charges, adding labels to your product line is a good way to diversify into a growing, high profi t area,” says Dave Fox, Technical Sales and Service Manager for Avery Products Corporation (Booth 2711). According to Fox, small to mid-sized commercial printers with a dry toner or an HP Indigo press can offset the decline in traditional print jobs by following fi ve tips. 1. Choose quality materials No matter the potential upside of adding sheet-fed, digitally printed labels to their offerings, printers need quality label materials, adhesives, and die cuts that will run virtually fl awlessly in their presses. The materials must feed reliably well and run smoothly without jamming, with consistent ink/toner adhesion and color. Toward this end, printers need to partner with a label provider with product that is certifi ed or verifi ed to run in their digital presses. However, look for a label provider that also does rigorous internal testing. “With years of technical knowledge and experience available from a trusted label provider, printers should feel confi dent running the materials through their presses,” says Fox. “This is particularly important because the only way to be successful is to run the sheets quickly and effi - ciently, reducing the downtime associated with jamming, gumming up printers, or extra cleaning. That is when the money is made.” 2. Consider premium label materials In a “me too” arena like labels, typical materials like white matte or semi-gloss paper will not differentiate printers from the competition. Instead, the ability to offer unique, higher margin materials can help them win new business. “Commercial printers and their customers can distinguish themselves in the market with high-end labels that make their products ‘pop’ by selecting a special label material look or fi nish,” says Fox. For example, printers can add a rustic, earthy look to products, packages, boxes, bottles, and bags with a natural, organic looking, Kraft Brown pressure-sensitive label from AveryPRO. Bright, full colors and text are printable to the edge, and the FDA-compliant permanent adhesive is safe for indirect food contact. When high-end health, beauty, and skin products need to stand out, Fox suggests considering the company’s White Soft Touch labels, which have a special coating that gives them a velvety texture without requiring post print coating. For labeling products with an industrial look and feel, such as electronics or appliances, Fox suggests a unique Silver Matte label to give any item a metalized look without the use of metallic ink. 3. Demand true technical support When looking to increase revenue with printed labels, printers should identify a label provider that has extensive technical support to maximize uptime and resolve any potential issues with label printing quality, performance, or runnability. There are various levels of technical support available in the label industry, ranging from the most basic questions being answered concerning label specifi cations to high level technical support from trained technicians who have actually produced labels on printing equipment. According to Fox, who has worked for the last 25 years with commercial printers, label printers, print brokers, and distributors, commercial printers should ask their label providers what kinds of internal testing they have done on their model of digital press as a gauge their familiarity with it and level of technical expertise. Label providers should also be able to consult with printers that may require custom label materials, substrates, adhesives, or types of die-cuts. Some applications, for example, require a high-temperature label that can withstand a more rigorous printing process or in its end use application. Only the most experienced label manufacturers typically have the technical engineering expertise combined with the manufacturing capability to respond to unique requests. 4. Free tools and templates To save prepress time and accurately align products, printers should use free digital press tools and design templates. Graphic designers and printers fi nd such templates intuitive and easy-to-use since they are similar to those used on more common offi ce labels. To streamline the process, it is best to use design templates that provide seamless integration, such as Adobe Illustrator extensions, with existing imposition software programs. Using design templates with correct dimensions and safe zones can also help to minimize waste and increase effi ciency. For further ease of use, printers may also want to use design templates that require no software to download, yet offer 1-up and full sheet options. 5. Promote your business Most printers looking to expand into label printing do not have the time, budget or expertise to create sales and marketing materials from scratch to grow their business. Many are also looking for inspirational examples of how to use labels in unique ways that could open the door to additional sales and new markets. Fortunately, there are tools readily available that can help them win new label printing business in a variety of markets. Label companies like AveryPRO, for instance, provide numerous examples of printed label applications, as well as customizable brochures, PDFs, and videos at no cost, downloadable from their Website. To help commercial printers successfully market premium labels to a variety of markets, they should carry pressure-sensitive swatch books from each label provider. These books allow customers to understand the look and feel of the materials that are available. While commercial printers may be new to digital presses, Fox says that they allow printers to expand beyond just traditional brochures, booklets, and other documents. “If you are using a dry toner or Indigo digital press or considering it, you would be leaving a lot of business on the table if you did not take advantage of its full abilities, with labels being among the most profi table possibilities,” concludes Fox. 36 | September 26, 2016 | GRAPH EXPO 16 Offi cial Show Daily | PrintingNews.com


GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_26_2016
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