The Art Of Making Label Business Stick - Manufacturing & Logistics IT Exclusive

Manufacturing & Logistics IT spoke with Dakota Integrated Solutions’ Commercial Director, Philip Jarrett about labelling as a core requirement of any supply chain solution.

With the world of data capture becoming ever more fast-paced and advanced with the advent of the latest and greatest mobile computing and printing devices, the capabilities of which continue to supersede their predecessors, it is sometimes easy to overlook one of the most important elements of any supply chain solution: the label.

Whilst this crucial and critical piece of the solution jigsaw can often be held in lower esteem to its digital counterparts, or even sometimes viewed as an afterthought, it could be argued that the label is without doubt one of the most important overall elements of any data capture solution. It is a fact that without labels, many supply chain operations would simply grind to a halt.

So this article is dedicated to what Dakota likes to refer to as ‘the mighty label.’

One Size Definitely Doesn’t Fit All

The art of choosing the correct label for its use is a complex one; a scenario which requires a specific skill set and knowledge base, which is where Dakota’s experts come in.

Boasting over half a century of experience between them, Dakota’s labelling experts Karen Peacock and Julie Chamberlain live and breathe the importance of correct labelling. Ask them anything about labels and the likelihood is that they will be able to answer any questions you may have about adhesive qualities, label printing and label longevity, regardless of the industry in which you operate.

But it’s not just all about product knowledge or length of industry experience; the key to Dakota’s success in supplying labels to its customers during its twenty year tenure goes far beyond that. It extends to offering a highly customer-focused and customised consultative approach; getting ‘under the skin’ of each and every one of its customers and their requirements to ensure that they are using precisely the correct product for their labelling needs.

A Bumpy Road: Supply & Production Volitivity

The last few years have paved the way for a bit of a bumpy road in terms of the supply of label components. Raw material prices seem to be in a constant state of volitivity; fluctuating on a mainly upwards trajectory on an almost weekly basis, thanks in part to a combination of the Covid pandemic and Brexit legacies as well other current international political factors, making the provision of label quotes and managing customers’ budgetary and supply expectations rather complex. 

The ever-growing strain placed on global supply chains is also becoming increasingly evident, thanks to the knock-on effects that these external factors are having on productivity, making the search for suitable label suppliers a mounting challenge.

Weathering the Storm

A deep industry knowledge coupled with steadfast supplier relations has enabled Dakota to weather the storm in terms of price and product fulfilment, while the ‘customer is king’ mantra is deeply embedded within Dakota’s corporate culture and way of thinking. This has enabled the company to retain and grow many of its existing accounts and also tempt others away from the competition. No sale is just a ‘simple sell.’ The Team likes to delve deep into customer requirements to ensure that product prices are meticulously negotiated with suppliers in order to strive to obtain the best possible prices, the best product quality and the best overall service.

Having moved to new purpose-built premises some 14 months ago, Dakota’s new warehouse has the ability to stock a large number and variety of products, while the continual monitoring of customers’ label usage and potential supply of label availability ensure that their all-important customers never run low on their mission-critical label stock.

 
Philip Jarrett, Commercial Director at Dakota: 
"Whilst linerless labelling is beginning to garner attention, it is still 
a way off from becoming the ‘norm,’ however emerging it still is,
with many businesses gradually realising the benefits of linerless 
in terms of waste reduction tick boxing."

The Race to Achieve Net Zero Targets

The need to adhere to strict compliance standards in terms of waste accumulation and disposal is also rapidly emerging, with many businesses now required to ‘tick more boxes’ in terms of environmental and sustainability factors, helping them to reach those all-important net zero targets. The ability to provide packing waste data to customers is not uncommon, which is a contributing factor to people’s attention slowly being turned to the linerless label.

Whilst linerless labelling is beginning to garner attention, it is still a way off from becoming the ‘norm,’ however emerging it still is, with many businesses gradually realising the benefits of linerless in terms of waste reduction tick boxing. Costs for this more pro-environmental alternative are still high, but this is mainly due to its slow adoption. As more and more people begin to understand and appreciate the potential benefits of linerless, it should become much more mainstream in terms of adoption and usage and therefore a more economically viable alternative. No liner waste and more labels on a roll also means less downtime when changing label rolls outside of the traditional retail marketplace.

RFID labelling is also growing in popularity, with its usage expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. In the case of both RFID and linerless, it’s definitely a case of ‘watch this space.’

What Does the Future Hold?

So what does the future hold for Dakota’s labelling business? One thing’s for certain; it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. Customer retention is high and the number of new customers is continuously growing, thanks to the art and skill of making label business stick.