LINERLESS LABEL PRINTERS
Drawing a line Linerless label printers are increasingly in demand among customers in a range of sectors due to various factors, including improvements in productivity and sustainability and this is set to continue for years to come – meaning there are plenty of opportunities for resellers.
in landfill; being able to take this out of the waste chain by switching to linerless – where it makes sense to do so – is a positive step.” But there are other advantages of linerless for businesses, such as with productivity. “With up to 50% more labels on a roll, and with no need for printer calibration you need less roll changes, giving you more printer uptime,” says Richard. “It is also easy to use: linerless is a continuous media that is easy to configure. You don’t need to specify the label length. Every label you print on the same roll can be a variable length.” There is also the safety aspect to consider, Richard adds. “Silicone-based liner material is slippery,” he says. “By omitting piles of it building up on the warehouse or factory floor, you take away a slip hazard for your workers.” Then there is the cost – often a crucial factor for customers. “Omitting the backing liner means there are no costs associated with sending this waste to landfill, or the liner take-up machinery and staff to collect it,” says Richard. “Even better, with up to 50% more labels on a roll, you can reduce the amount of storage required. Linerless rolls typically weigh 40% less, so again you can make savings with transportation costs, but also carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions. “We have recently launched our Packing Bench Solution at Zebra, which incorporates one of our Zebra Fixed Industrial Scanners, combined with a linerless desktop printer, and delivers up to 33% productivity enhancement for each packing station.”
While linerless label printers may have been first developed way back in the 1980s, it has been recent years where demand has really taken off for them, as businesses in a range of sectors look to be more sustainable and reduce plastic waste. Demand is set to continue to grow in the coming years too; it is forecast to grow from $1.9 billion in 2023 to $3 billion by 2033, according to Future Market Insights . “Growth has largely been fuelled by increased demand for better product visibility and safety as well as a need for more sustainable labelling solutions,” says TSC Printronix country manager for the UK, Ireland and the Nordics, Bob Vines. “We’re seeing a huge increase in interest for linerless label printers especially from the logistics, retail, healthcare, grocery and fast food industries.” Deyon Antoine, product marketing manager at Toshiba Tec, agrees that demand for linerless label printers is on the rise globally, driven by factors such as sustainability initiatives, cost savings and operational efficiency improvements. “The UK, like many other regions, has been increasingly focused on sustainability and reducing waste,” he says. “This has led to a growing interest in eco-friendly packaging solutions, including linerless labels. Additionally, businesses are always looking for ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs, making linerless label printers an attractive option due to their potential for streamlining operations.” Numerous benefits There are many advantages to linerless label printing over traditional label printing. “The core reason why linerless is gaining interest and backing (pun intended) is its perceived benefit to sustainability,” says Richard Barfield from Zebra. “While linerless has advantages in this area over traditional linered material, like any product, it still leaves a footprint of raw material, energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) utilisation to manufacture, process and transport it. “Recycling silicone-based backing liner is not easy and therefore most of it will end up
Bob Vines country manager, UK, Ireland & Nordics
emea.tscprinters.com
Customers need to be more efficient as well as demonstrate more sustainable practices and linerless labelling enables them to deliver on both counts. “
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