Labels Continued…

Labeling Services

If you lack the necessary equipment or skills to design and print your own labels, some companies offer custom label design and printing. Using these services is generally most cost-effective if you order labels in bulk, as larger quantities often are eligible for discounts.

Most recently, online printing services have sprung up around the Internet. With these services, the customer is generally responsible for designing the labels, but the company provides printing services. Many of these online services offer free shipping.

Labeling Machines

Mailing labels can also be printed and affixed with a labeling machine. These range from inexpensive handheld devices that dispense pressure-sensitive labels that must be manually affixed, to tabletop and floor model machines that can affix up to 20,000 labels per hour.

Labeling machines generally create one of two types of labels: pressure sensitive and Cheshire-style. Pressure-sensitive labels are affixed by tabletop or floor model machines, which use a photo sensor to detect the presence of a label, then separate the label from its backing and affixing it to the mailpiece. Depending on the type of sensor used, some machines are not able to affix clear or translucent labels.

Cheshire labeling machines create labels using wide fan fold computer paper that has been printed with addresses in a specific pattern. The machine adds glue to the back of the label, cuts it out, and affixes it. Cheshire-style machines were once the most popular type of labeling machine, but are now becoming obsolete due to the ease of inkjet and laser label printing.

Whatever the size of your business, custom mailing labels are a useful tool for showcasing your products and services and creating a professional look to your mailings.

By Kerry Given