Labeling Machines: What to Look for When Purchasing a Labeling Machine for your Business

Labeling Machines: What to Look for When Purchasing a Labeling Machine for your Business
Adam Simpson
7/19/2014
Updated:
4/23/2016

It’s an irrefutable fact that a labeling machine serves a vital purpose within your business. Without an industrial label machine, products inevitably lack the slick, professional finish that customers expect, and hiring other businesses to label your bottles and containers for you can work out as highly costly in the long term.

If you’re looking to purchase a labeling machine for your company, be warned, it can get a little overwhelming! There are a huge number of products available on the market, and it’s important to get the right one to suit your requirements.

Key questions to ask when purchasing a labeling machine:

It’s vital to ask questions when you buy your machine, to ensure that you’re getting the right piece of equipment for the job, at a competitive price. Here are just a few questions that you need to ask your labeling machine supplier:

  1. What machine best suits your products? Take a sample of your container to the supplier, to allow him or her to provide tailored advice as to what machine will best serve your needs. There are many different types of labeling machine out there, including Conical Shape Labeling Machines, Product Encapsulating Machines (sometimes known as ‘Trap n Wrap’) and Multi-Side Labeling Machines. It’s important to invest in a machine that is best suited to your range of products.

  1. Manual or automatic? Selecting a manually operated machine is a good option if you’re a smaller company, but as a general rule, if you’re a larger organization, an automatic, or at the very least a semi-automatic, will improve productivity exponentially, freeing your staff to concentrate on other vital tasks.

  1. Easy to use? There are a huge variety of label machines available out there, some easier to use than others. When exploring your options, talk to the supplier and ask for a demo, to ascertain how user-friendly the equipment is to operate. Remember, your team also need to know how to use it too, and if there is any complexity involved, it might be worth having a training session to get them up to speed.

  1. Does it have a machine stop system, in the event of something going wrong? There may be times when you require your machine to automatically shut down; for example, if your label roll has run out, or if something minor has gone wrong on the production line. An automatic shut down system is very useful in events such as these. It’s not vital, but it inevitably decreases the risk of waste.

  1. Testimonials? If you’ve got your eye on a particular piece of equipment, then take the time to research in online, to see what other companies are saying about it. Ask your supplier what other businesses have purchased the model, and for added peace of mind, take a few minutes to call the company in question, and ask them how they’ve found their labeling machine in terms of ease of use and productivity.

As with any significant purchase, it’s really important to know that you’re buying the right machine for the job, which will help improve output and raise profits. Taking the time to ask just a few important questions can really help increase your chances of locating the right machine for your business.