Label printer saves snack maker time, inventory and labor

Printed thermal transfer labels let Classic Snacks economically add nutritional information, ingredients and UPC code to generic cases.

Classic Snacks sells more than 40 varieties of its mixes (made up of pretzels, nuts and corn chips) to hotels, stadiums, country clubs, airlines and other institutional customers through foodservice distributors. The company recently converted its case marking practices to a thermal transfer labeling system that enables it to add needed UPC and nutrition information to cases while saving in case inventory, labor cost and case packing time.

Previously, Classic Snacks shipped its bagged mixes in pre-printed corrugated cases marked with the company name (or, in some cases, with the name of the food distributor) and a list of the more popular snack products with check boxes. Filled cases were marked in the appropriate box by a contact coder which was raised or lowered to check the right box. Cases of less popular product were marked by hand, using a rubber stamp.

"Not only was this procedure time-consuming, wasteful and messy," observes Classic Snacks corporate operations manager Dave Gurnik, "it also meant we didn't have UPC codes or nutrition information on the cases--something more and more of our customers were requesting."

In early 1997, the company began discussions with Diagraph Corp. about upgrading the marking system. As a result, a Zebra Technologies ValueLine[TM] Model 105S thermal transfer label printer was installed, driven by Diagraph's Performance Series[R] Windows-based software. The software manages a database of Classic Snacks' 40-plus varieties, including all information to be included on printed labels: product name, ingredients, nutrition information and UPC code. Since the software is designed with WYSIWYG ("what you see is what you get") capability, the operator sees on the monitor screen exactly what will appear on the printed label--a feature that virtually eliminates label waste.

The 4 x 6-inch thermal transfer labels used on the system are supplied by Diagraph, as are printer ribbons. Label stock, supplied in rolls of 1,000 labels, is a 60-pound bright white coated facestock on a 40-pound liner. Labels are printed at an adjustable speed of up to 6 inches per second. Resolution is 203 dots per inch (dpi), which gives a clean, solid image. Resolution can be adjusted to 152 dpi to save printing time if a larger area is to be printed.

Demand for labels varies from product to product. For larger batch orders (Classic Snacks fills as many as 200 cases at a time), labels are printed for the entire run, then rewound by the printer onto a spool and delivered to the packing team with a pick list, so cases can be ready and labeled when needed. For single or small batch orders, labels are printed on demand. All labels, which are pressure-sensitive, are hand-applied in a consistent position which is pre-printed on the cases.

The system's database allows Classic Snacks to maintain and quickly update label information, including ingredients and nutrition facts. Nutrition facts are supplied by the supplier of each constituent of the mix and are entered into the system at Classic Snacks. UPC codes--which combine the company's code and codes assigned by customers--are also entered and converted into readable bar codes by the software.

"This system gives us a flexibility in labeling that we never had before," declares Classic Snacks' Gurnik. "We've eliminated the time-consuming hand work of marking and rubberstamping cases. We now print one standard case with our logo, address and locator marks for the label."

Gurnik adds that "the entire packing operation moves more quickly and more smoothly." And, the labels are appreciated at the receiving end, where customers can identify and inventory products more conveniently.

For more information from Diagraph Corp., call (800) 521-3047 or Circle 581. For information from Zebra Technologies Corp., call (800) 423-0422 or Circle 582.

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