by admin | Apr 20, 2016 | Business Tips, Label News, Technical
Your labels are important to you—and your customers. They’re often a customer’s first hands-on experience with your brand. Like the perfect clothing accessory, the perfect label sets off your product and gives it a polished, memorable look.
Here at Rose City Label, we understand how important this is to your business. We’re mindful of the fact that specific labeling needs often require different approaches to ensure the best possible result. We work hard to maintain a diverse portfolio of production options. This enables us to provide a consultative technique—we aren’t married to any one solution, except the one that is best for your particular label needs.
Our label printing technicians, with an average tenure of over 12 years each, comprise the most experienced production team in the Northwest. We pride ourselves on the ability to recommend the label printing solution that’s best suited to your product and to the project at hand.
Rose City Label has recently invested in digital printing equipment. This modern label technology is our fastest-growing department, and for some labeling needs, it really shines. However, it may not be right for every project. Depending on your needs, conventional printing may still be the best option.
We’d welcome the opportunity to help you determine whether traditional or digital label printing methods would best suit your needs, but considering a few factors should give you a good idea whether digital printing is ideal for you.
Short Label Run or Long?
Digital printing is ideally suited to a short label run. Run length refers to the linear footage of label stock running through a printing press. This will vary depending on the size of each label as well as the number of labels desired. The shorter setup on a digital press makes it an attractive option, both financially and environmentally.
For simplicity, we can advise that a run of around 3,000 feet or less may be a good candidate for this modern label technology. This can vary slightly depending upon the size of each label. Run length is not the only determining factor in deciding which technology to use, but it’s a good place to start.
Static or Variable Label Data?
Multiple versions of a label, such as different color combinations with the same print data, can often be done on a traditional press. However, making such a shift is usually easier—and more cost-effective—on a digital press.
Changing Data? Go Digital
This is perhaps the easiest consideration. If you need variable data, you need digital labeling. Dynamic data elements require that the job be printed on a digital press. Printing variable data such as serial numbers, fluctuating barcodes or numbered limited editions on a conventional press would most likely be cost prohibitive.
Trusted, Unchanging Label Designs
If your label design is mature, stable and unlikely to change, conventional printing methods may be more suited to your project. If your runs are medium to long length and your design is static, traditional printing technology may be the wiser choice. Once the initial plates and setup are in place, they can be used repeatedly on the conventional press without additional charge. For such a project, conventional print methods are likely to be less expensive than digital in the end.
Type of Stock Desired
If you desire an uncoated, textured label stock, digital printing has a clear advantage. Our HP Indigo digital offset press produces an exceptional result on uncoated stocks. The print quality and resolution is slightly better on the digital press. On some types of stock, the difference isn’t apparent. On others, it can be quite noticeable.
Metallic Inks, Die Cutting and Other Conversions
Perhaps digital label printing’s biggest weakness is that it doesn’t allow many options when it comes to converting. Converting refers to everything we do to produce a label, aside from putting ink on paper.
• Complex die cutting
• Back slitting
• Top scoring
• Perforations between labels
Options such as these are not available with digital label printing.
Additionally, digital runs produce labels in rolls as opposed to sheets. If you require certain conversions or need labels delivered in sheets, you’ll need to choose the traditional press for your project. Another popular feature—metallic ink—is not available when using the digital press.
When is Digital Label Printing Your Best Option?
There are many factors to consider when deciding which press to choose for your project. If you need variable data, digital is the clear (and only) choice. Other elements that may lead you to choose digital label printing would include:
• Short label run
• Uncoated stock
• Desire for very fine quality at high resolution
• Graphic design that is still evolving or may change periodically
• You can work with a roll rather than individual sheets
If your project has any of the above qualities, no special converting and you can live without metallic inks, digital printing will deliver an impressive result.
What’s more, digital gives us the ability to produce very low cost press proofs—printed samples on your actual label stock. These can be ideal for prototypes, photo shoots, and presentations to investors.
It’s important to note that not all modern label technology is necessarily digital. Our conventional presses, just like our shiny new digital equipment, are state-of-the-art, high quality machines which produce sharp, crisp labels of the highest caliber. By working Rose City Label, you give yourself access to experienced professional support and an array of printing options.
Ready to discuss how Rose City Label can help you set your product apart from your competitors? Give us a call at 503-777-4711 or send us an email. We’ll guide you through the choices and help you select the best option for your labeling needs.
by admin | Mar 3, 2016 | Business Tips, Environmental Green
Money saving, eco-friendly ideas are all around you, you just have to start looking for them. Being a more ‘green’ company doesn’t require massive investments or big changes in how you do business. Small steps, done repeatedly over time, make the most impact.
The photo above needs a bit more explanation, but hopefully it will spark some ideas that are right in front of you in your own business.
What do we do with Slip Sheets?
On the left of the photo you see rolls of paper separated by ‘slip sheets’. These are basically wax-paper rings that are inserted between rolls of paper when they are shipped to us. This is because this adhesive backed paper often has a bit of adhesive residue on the edges – without the slip sheets, the entire group of rolls could stick together into one big mess! The slip sheets are necessary – unfortunately they can’t be eliminated.
So the next step is finding a suitable recycle or reuse purpose for them. Since they are wax coated, it was difficult to recycle them in our standard mixed paper recycle stream. So if we can’t recycle, how can we reuse them?
How do we fill our boxes?
On the right you see the slip sheets actually being used to stuff boxes that are shipped to our customers. This is a perfect use for this material – and it saves us the cost of purchasing packing paper. It is a win – win – win for us, the customers, and the environment.
On a related note – back when all employees took the daily newspaper – we tried using newspaper to stuff the boxes, but this proved difficult because the ink from the paper often transferred onto the labels in the box – and it didn’t present a very professional image to our customers – seeing their beautiful labels packed in comics or classified ads for used cars! This new solution doesn’t have any of these problems.
How can you apply this?
If you are just getting started, we get it. It isn’t easy and often the overwhelm prevents people from even beginning their eco-journey. It doesn’t have to be that hard.
- What is one area of waste we can attack? This could be corrugated, wood, paper, chemicals, or some type of secondary packaging – like slip sheets. Look around your business and start with the items that are filling your dumpster or your recycle bin. Start with one thing.
- What could we do with this? Could we donate this material to an art class at a local school? Could we reuse it within our own operations? Could we get our vendor to take it back and reuse it when they ship us the next widget? Could we buy in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging required to get this product into our company?
- How do we do it without disrupting the workflow? People – coworkers – and maybe even yourself are the biggest obstacle to recycling and other eco-friendly efforts. Surprise – people don’t like change! You have to make it easy and simple for people if they are going to consistently do something new. Additionally, you have to show the WHY – what is the payoff for the business or for them personally? But – even with a big WHY – you will get much more excited adoption of the project if it is simple and easy.
- Start small and build. Don’t try to change everything at once – it won’t work. Start with a small, easy, high value project and get a quick win. Success breeds success – don’t be shy about publicizing the success. Share it with employees and on your blog and social media so your customers can get into the process. Build support for the first win, and the second one will be that much easier.
- Ask for Help. Other businesses (like Rose City Label) that may be a bit further down the path than you are HAPPY to help. Contact your trash hauler, your local County or City government, and you vendors and customers. Don’t be shy – every business started, and you can too. Ask for help and let others give you guidance – you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Once you have the GREEN mindset, this stuff will just come to you – really! Once you look for it, and build it into your business DNA, it isn’t difficult.
Start today and take one small step – or better yet, call someone and let them guide you. You will make progress quicker than you think, and before you know it, you will be helping others on their own eco-journey. Just pick one small thing and start today – you can do it!
by admin | Jan 21, 2016 | Beer Wine Spirits, Business Tips, Food Beverage, Label News
Nobody likes a hard project – we all prefer EASY. Luckily there are a handful of proven, easy ways to improve your labels. These are low cost strategies to make sure you get the very best outcome with your next label project – all they require is a little planning and thought. And, once you adopt these strategies, they can be applied to ALL your future label projects – they will all benefit from these 6 easy tips.
1.Market – Who are We Selling To?
Your target audience is the first thing you want to consider when you are creating a new product. This applies to the product itself, as well as the label, the website, the sales channel, and may other aspects of your business. The customer is the reason for your product’s existence. Take the time to define, narrow, and validate the ideal customer you are targeting. Based on that, your label design will follow – are you upscale and corporate? Small batch organic? Hand made or mass produced? Sold online or at Farmer’s markets? All of these questions must be answered to get the best possible label for your product.
2.Begin with the End in Mind (is it a bag, box, or bottle?)
Now that the market is defined, and assuming your product is fully developed, start thinking about the package itself. Will you sell in brown glass, clear glass, plastic bags, or corrugated boxes? The container, and the size of the container, have a huge impact on what type of label will work best. Durability is also a key question here- are the products used outdoors? Are they shipped long distance? What is the expected useful life of your product – a 2 gallon warehouse store package is much different than a single serve bottle. Consider what the label is applied to, and how long it needs to last, as early in the conversation as possible.
3.How Will They Get on the Container?
With the brand, the product, and the package nailed down, think about the physical production of the product. Are you using a contract packager? A mobile bottler? Or are you making it in small batches at home. (And if you are making it at home, where to you want it to scale to?). All these questions are critical, because they determine how the labels must dispense. Nearly all the labels we produce are on rolls – but what orientation on the roll (right edge off first, bottom off first) and the roll size and core size can be major stumbling blocks if they aren’t addressed up front. We can accommodate almost anything, but we need to know about it early in the process. Think through this decision as early as possible – even if you are just deciding how you will set up your home kitchen to label Mama’s famous spaghetti sauce.
4.Quantity and Variety
How much of your amazing sauce do you expect to sell? We recommend buying a 6-12 month supply – this will give you a good volume price discount, but won’t burden you with excess cash tied up in inventory. The more you buy of a given label – the lower the cost per piece – that is pretty obvious, but it has to be balanced with the risk of a product revision. Obsolete labels are worthless and a bad decision, no matter what price break you got – it doesn’t matter when they are in the garbage can. Also, what about differe3nt flavors? Sizes? or other product variations… If you can group multiple products together, with the same label size, you can get great economies of scale. This ‘bulk order’ could include multiple versions of the same label – this is a great way to test market – or it could include multiple distinct products – spicy, medium, and mild for example.
5.Budget
The other way to arrive at quantity and variety is to establish a budget. This is especially useful if you have a new product with no sales history. How much have you set aside for labels? If that is $500, or $1,000 or whatever it is, we can help you back into the best strategy to get the most label value for your fixed investment dollars available. This is especially true if you have answered the other questions in this article- armed with that information, it is easy to decide the best label choice for your product. This can also be approached from the ‘cost per label’ budget perspective. If your product cost (and sale price and profit) have to come in at a certain level, we can figure out how many labels you will have to purchase to hit that unit cost – this may also influence the design and complexity of the label if we are shooting for a certain price point
6.Future Expansion of the Product Line
Usually the first step is just getting your first order placed – or moving over to a vendor that understands your needs – and getting the project off the ground. BUT – it makes sense to think about the long term as early as possible. Where do you want to be? What is the expansion strategy? If all goes well, where do you want to be in 5 years? How many products? Sold in what locations? Think about this and how it may affect your label design. We have to focus on the ‘now’ but we can’t ignore the big picture.
NOTHING About Label Equipment or Technology!
Notice that none of the steps here have anything to do with ink, paper, foil, or die cutting. Those are very important, and we live those every day, but they aren’t the right place to start. We offer a full like of label printing – from simple to complex, and from small to large runs. We have ALL the tools, but we need to have these questions answered first before we can recommend a specific technology solution. Don’t worry about size, shape, or price until you have a clear idea of where you are going. Use these steps to chart your course, and you will be successful. In a future post I will discuss the next steps = applying the specific label production methods to solve specific problems – but first you need to clearly define the problem. With that, you are half way to the solution.
by admin | Jan 8, 2016 | Beer Wine Spirits, Business Tips, Food Beverage
In Oregon, we love to root for the underdog. Rather than large corporate, we value local and support local business. That’s one reason why Oregon’s local micro brewing industry has done so well and the good news is the benefit of Oregon’s mindset doesn’t stop at beer.
Other small craft businesses can benefit from the support local mindset. One category which is enjoying growth is small, local food producers.
Celebrate Small – Don’t Hide It
When it comes to standing out of the shelf; Oregon is blessed with a thriving graphic design community, and vendors offer technology which allows today’s small producers to stand out on the shelf with eye-catching professional packaging that creates a bond between your consumer and your business. Oregon is in fact the perfect state to celebrate being small and to thrive while doing it.
It helps that you don’t need to be Goliath to have great label. Smaller companies are by their nature nimble, make changes more easily, and have adaptation and change built into their DNA. Smaller enterprises are often closer to the “local vibe” of the communities within which their products are sold. So, in terms of creating product and label design that resonates with your local market, being small can be a real advantage.
Your labels don’t have to look ‘small’
At Rose City Label, there’s nothing we love more than helping a smaller company fulfill their dreams. We take pride in every single label, knowing these labels are going to draw consumers in to pick up, and try your product and we’ve invested in the technology to print smaller runs cost effectively. It’s a real thrill to see these labels pop up in unexpected places as our client’s grow.
You don’t have to order millions for a good price
The best part of growing your business in Oregon, is that Oregon’s local vendors are experienced with working with smaller companies to help them succeed. At Rose City Label, we have increased our digital printing capabilities continuously over the last 5 years specifically to bring the cost of shorter print runs down, while increasing the flexibility we have to accommodate innovate design in shorter runs and maintain a great label you will be proud of.
It helps us be ready to help you – and we think that’s a great thing.
by admin | Nov 6, 2015 | Beer Wine Spirits, Business Tips
Saxco International is the premier supplier of glass to the craft beer, wine, cider, mead, and spirits industries. If you have a wonderful, hand crafted beverage to sell, please don’t put your masterpiece in a sub standard bottle. That would be almost as bad as using a low quality label! Instead, call our friends at Saxco.
Order by the end of November, 2015 and you get a special discount!
Click this link to check their discounted prices right on the website. Certain conditions apply, so please make sure to discuss your order in detail. These guys are the bottle pros – they know their stuff and they are as passionate about great beverages as you are.
Call them today and let them know Rose City Label sent you – you won’t be disappointed.
by admin | Aug 20, 2015 | Business Tips
I was out golfing with my 12 year old son recently and I learned a very valuable business lesson:
The line between confident and cocky can be a very thin line…
As I approached a fairly long putt (for me), my son said, “No problem Dad, you can make that!”. “Don’t jinx me!”, I answered. I didn’t want him to spoil my ‘mojo’ on this putt, but his reply was telling. He said –
Dad, you always say we need to think positively, right? We have to believe we can do it before we actually can, right?
This was a very small point, but it made a big impact on me. Where is the line between confident and cocky? How do we show confidence and competence to our customers and prospects without being arrogant?
I don’t have a clear answer, and I can’t tell you exactly how to walk that line, but it is worth considering. It may be a different line based on the type of work you are bidding or the type of customer you are dealing with. The one thing that is important is that you should consider this before you are in the situation – know where your line is and stick to it. Show your confidence and believe in the best outcome, but do it without giving the wrong message to your customer.
If you want a confident – but not cocky – label supplier, please call us today. We look forward to helping you.
** Finally – just for the record – I took my son’s confidence in me to heart and I sunk the putt.
