In a recent article in Manufacturing & logistics Magazine on predictions for the AIDC (Automatic Identification and Data Capture) industry, Ken Moir of NiceLabel, stresses how labelling is essential to a company’s modernization. We couldn’t agree more.
Improvement
In order to survive and prosper in a context where technology is constantly evolving, companies are forced to review their systems and processes to ensure they don’t get in the way of greater efficiency.
Pressures for better performance are everywhere: stricter industry regulation, increasing customer demands for speed and value, the trend towards varying production volumes and increased competition. For most companies modernization is not a choice.
Standardization and centralization
Running legacy identification systems can hamper your modernization efforts. In his article Moir observes that many companies have already realised this. In the industry trend towards standardization and centralization, labelling plays a key role in successful modernization.
By now, companies have experienced how legacy systems can make it difficult to search and index labels, make changes and approvals as well as capture and report on label printing history. Some companies have several departments running different labelling systems. This makes it hard to analyse assets or inventory as well as implement company-wide changes. This difficulty increases in the case of multiple locations.
Labelling best practices
The key is to find a system that has a scalable multi-user design while allowing labelling best practices including full label lifecycle management. It should allow companies to design, review and approve label control data. It should be able to integrate effortlessly with your ERP to create perfectly accurate and ‘’transparent’’ data. It should also be powerful enough to able to help the company quickly adapt to changing industry regulations.
Moir mentions dynamic labelling through RFID as another growing industry trend. Indeed, this up and coming technology can help optimize efficiency through its virtually limitless adaptability. A standardized and centralized labelling system should offer the option to adopt such a technology.
Many companies get caught in the trap of trying to update various legacy systems that simply can’t offer the advantage of a full, company-wide standardization. Your company needs these benefits in labelling and identification. Flexibility and agility are now more necessary than ever.
Your company needs these advantages
To modernize your systems, it is essential to understand your long-term identification needs. It can be extremely beneficial to speak to labelling and identification experts. A thorough analysis of cross-departmental needs in an on-site study is a good first step to understanding what solutions will help support your company’s growth in the future. If you need guidance, contact us. We’ll be glad to help.
