MOBILE LABEL PRINTING
CONTINUED
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 walk to each appropriate shelf and change the label – a time consuming process. They’d have to first print the labels, change them and then dispose of the liners. Again, more waste containers are needed, and liners can often accidentally end up on the floor, 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 it is often a struggle to recruit and retain extra staff through and beyond this period. Traditionally, more than 10 years ago, mobile printing was perceived as expensive too, but this perception is now long outdated, and times have changed.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 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 reducing the threat of health and safety problems. Improving communication with customers during last mile delivery It’s not only warehouses and fulfilment centres that stand 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 customer how they
Jay Kim managing director
bixoloneu.com
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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 customer’s door.
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