When you are ordering branding, business, and operational-level labels (including security and hazardous communications labels), does your choice of label supplier matter? There are so many options out there. Is there really a difference between them? Yes, your choice of label supplier matters, and let’s talk about why.

Here are some of the factors that differentiate one labels supplier from another.

1. Some products require expertise.

There are some products, such as hazardous communications labels, healthcare labels, and durable goods labels, that require a high level of expertise — and it’s why you cannot purchase these types of labels off the rack.

Think about all the different places labels are used, and the many different environments to which they can be exposed. Labels might be placed on everything from direct mail, medicine bottles, and food and beverage products, to cars, refrigerators, and chemical drums. The same label you apply to your office files will degrade quickly when exposed to the elements or placed under extreme environmental conditions such as exposure to fire, chemical splashes, and abrasives.

Labels can be so different that, unless you are working with an expert label supplier like BrandMark, you could end up needing multiple suppliers to produce all of the types of labels you might need. For example, what does it take to produce a label that will remain intact even after the bottle has been placed in an autoclave? Or that will remain legible after the chemical drum has been submerged in sea water for three months? Or that will look the same on child’s toy even after that toy has been dragged in and out of the home all summer, in the heat, wind, and rain, and then left in the sandbox over the winter?

Finding the right combination of label material and adhesive for specialty applications like these requires an expert-level knowledge. Here at BrandMark, we’ve been doing R&D on specialty labels for decades. We know what works so you don’t have to wonder if your labels will meet governmental regulations or stay intact under the conditions you need them to — and for as long as you need them to do so.

2. Quality — don’t take it for granted.

There is an old expression: “Coffee stains on the drop down tray of an airplane may mean poor maintenance on the aircraft.” Obviously, airplanes aren’t labels, but you get the point. Everything you print with your brand on it, including office labels, represents your company.

Even when you are producing something as simple as business labels, quality matters. The text must be clear and legible, even when the font is small. Many of these labels also contain color, including brand colors. Those colors should be accurate, predictable, and repeatable every time. When you put two sets of labels side by side, they should look like they were printed on the same press, even if they weren’t. This is particularly important with food and beverage labels that could end up appearing next to one another on a retail shelf.

3. Details matter.

If anything looks sloppy or out of place, even on an office label, it reflects on your brand as a whole. BrandMark offers the highest quality digital and offset production, with quality second to none.

4. Production flexibility.

Why waste money on unnecessary warehousing costs or by throwing away labels that have gone out of date before they can get used? With BrandMark’s digital printing solutions, we can print on demand so you only order as much as you need, as you need it. This is especially valuable if you have products for which you need labels that are constantly changing or being updated regularly. By printing in smaller quantities, you can keep these labels up to date without wasting inventory.

With shorter run digital printing capabilities, you can also produce smaller run targeted and segmented labels. You might create targeted versions for different retail audiences, for example. Or customized versions for your various business divisions, departments, or markets.

If, on the other end of the spectrum, you have need for long static runs, our offset production offers outstanding quality at the lowest possible cost. Plus, our expert color matching capabilities mean that you can put your digitally printed and offset printed labels side by side and they will look the same.

5. The “people difference.”

The other differentiator is the difference it makes when you like and trust the people you work with. At BrandMark, when we say we care and that we go the extra mile, we really do. If you need to cut costs, for example, we’ll work to find you alternative materials that help you save money while still meeting your project goals. If you have a fast turnaround and your regular paper isn’t available, we’ll work our extensive network around the clock to find a solution that keeps you on schedule.

All of this adds up to greater profitability for you. The less time you spend managing inventory, worrying about deadlines, and working out the numbers to ensure that you are getting the most out of your print budget, the more time you spend on tasks that actually make you money.

So, does it matter who prints your labels? You tell us! Better yet, try us out and see for yourself.

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