If you are like many packaged food processors today, you have realized the value of a sturdy clamshell container for presenting your goods on store shelves and keeping them fresh. Getting started with clamshells can be a difficult task as it requires a different type of label than most other containers, and some careful planning about how to properly attach those labels. You may be forced to hand label products for a while until you determine which labeling type works best for you, and then you can invest in the proper technology. Here's how you know it's time for an upgrade to a clamshell labeling machine:
1. Product is Building Up
Hand labeling is a slow, arduous process. To consistently place labels the same way on the clamshell each time, it takes patience and attention to detail. As your team members focus on lining up labels correctly, new products are coming off the line and building up in your warehouse. You need a labeler machine that will keep up with your production so that food isn't going bad before it gets out the door.
2. You Need Help with Consistency
When products are all lined up on a store shelf, it quickly becomes apparent which companies have spent time and energy planning their packaging. Products that have inconsistent labels appear cheap and careless to the customer. Using a clamshell labeling machine will overhaul your container's appearance and give it a more professional, competitive look.
3. Labor Costs Add Up
Depending on how many staff members you have, what your responsibilities are, and any other external factors, you simply may not have the time or money to spend on hand labeling. Again, this leads to products either building up in the warehouse, or products not getting made because they won't get labeled fast enough. If finding man hours to get labeling done is a problem, it's time to remove the human element and hire a clamshell labeling machine instead.
4. You've Hit A Wall
If everything is going well, customers are loving your products and you are making great sales, it's almost inevitable that you will hit an eventual wall in your growth. There will be a time where you simply cannot ramp up your productivity any more until you add high efficiency tools to your line. A clamshell labeling machine that can run hundreds of products an hour continuously is exactly the kind of tool you need.
5. You Need Batch/Lot Codes
Ideally, when your customers are seeing your products in a store, they are seeing them in the freshest possible state. However, to ensure that customers do not have a negative experience, printing batch/lot codes and bar codes on your labels along with expiration or best by dates will help you track the items leaving your warehouse, and identify issues if there is a customer complaint. A clamshell labeling machine will allow you to enter your codes and have them printed directly onto the label as the labeling process is happening for best accuracy.
Investing in a clamshell labeling machine is the next step in the future of your company. It will ease the demand of keeping up with manual labeling and open up new doors for the future of your operation. In addition, it will improve the overall customer experience by providing them with both a professional and safe product that they can trust.
