Logistics IT Software Drives Demand Planning

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OCTOBER2016
The European magazine promoting the effective use of IT in supply chain applications
Special Technology Report:
PRINTING & LABELLING
Interview:
ELECTRIUM SALES LTD.
AAlso in this issue:
Gain the competitive edge with the right printers
Label management and the extended supply chain
Enterprise Asset Intelligence and the hardware to deliver it
Supply Chain Management in the Cloud
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Manufacturing and Logistics IT
October 2016
Editor:
Ed Holden
Contributors:
Ken Moir, NiceLabel
Samuel Mueller, Scandit
Jörk Schüßler, Citizen Systems Europe
Richard Scott, SATO
David Stain, Zebra Technologies
Paul Swaddle, Pocket App
Mari Waldron, Honeywell printers
Publisher:
Dean Taylor
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First Sight Graphics Ltd,
www.firstsightgraphics.com
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Carolyn Pither
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ISSN:1463-1172
ITMANUFACTURING
&LOGISTICS
CONTENTS
5 Electrium Sales Ltd.
Special Technology Report
10 Printing & Labelling
Printing & Labelling
18 Citizen Systems Europe: Gain the competitive edge with the right printers
NiceLabel: Label management and the extended supply chain
Honeywell: Mobile printers improve productivity
Seiko Instruments launches new MP-A40 Series mobile printers
SATO: Application-enabled printing solutions for the manufacturing and logistics industries
Automatic Data Capture
28 Zebra Technologies: Enterprise Asset Intelligence and the hardware to deliver it
Scandit: Mobile barcode scanning – capturing top performance without breaking the bank
Voice Picking
32 BEC: Modernising the warehouse puts Raleigh ahead of the pack
Voiteq launches VoiceMan Data Analysis
Warehouse Management Systems
36 Vanderlande: Automation paves the way for ifm’s success
Iptor Supply Chain Systems adds ProTrack Labour Management to Warehouse
Management solution
Chess Logistics Technology: Cloud-based warehouse stock control for
e-commerce business
Manufacturing
40 Eco-friendly packaging manufacturer prepares for growth with QAD ERP
solution upgrade
Supply Chain Management
42 Oracle: Supply Chain Management in the Cloud
Gartner announces ranking of top European supply chain organisations for 2016
Transportation Management
46 PTV Group acquires DPS and invests in Cloud-based trip planning
Maxoptra helps Thornbridge Brewery keep the beer flowing
Pocket App: Mobilising the logistics supply chain

Electrium Sales Ltd. Interview
October 2016 5ITMANUFACTURING
&LOGISTICS
E
lectrium Sales Ltd. is one of the
UK’s largest electrical installation
equipment manufacturing
companies. The company’s supply
network operates throughout the
UK, as well as exporting to more than 40
countries worldwide. All Electrium products
are designed, manufactured and tested in
accordance with British and international
product standards in quality-assured and
approved factories and laboratories. Each
Electrium brand is well-recognised and long
established with most achieving over 100
years of service to the electrical installation
market – brands such as Wylex, Crabtree,
Britmac, Volex Accessories and Appleby.
From a supply chain perspective, Paul
Simpson, head of residential supply chain
management at Electrium, explained that
since 2014 the supply chain activities within
the company have been separated into two
primary aspects; Residential and Commercial.
“Commercial is more project-oriented,
covering things such as large distribution
boards and high power applications, while
Residential is more focused on electrical
wiring accessories for homes, offices and
factories; under-stairs consumer units, plugs
and sockets, lights etc. My colleague on the
Commercial side deals with more of the high-
value, lower-volume demand, which equates
to around 15 to 20 per cent of Electrium
annual turnover. On the Residential side, I am
responsible for the higher-volume, lower cost,
fast moving products.”
Demand Planning
In terms of the Electrium’s most recent IT
deployment, the company went live with
DynaSys’ Demand Planning software
solution as recently as May this year. The
DynaSys sourcing and implementation
project was largely led by Simpson and the
Residential side of the business to deal with
some of the complexities that go hand-in-
hand with volume and transactional
activities, and all the product management-
related aspects involved.
Prior to sourcing DynaSys, Electrium largely
relied on Excel spreadsheets for its demand
planning processes. “The data was mined
out of our SAP ERP system and
downloaded into a spreadsheet, from which
we sought to determine what our daily,
weekly or monthly requirements were in
order to satisfy product or component
demand,” explained Simpson.
Interestingly, DynaSys’s business
consultant, Gary Shaw, worked for
Electrium up until 2005. “During his time
with the company Gary was involved in
forecasting and the demand planning for
Electrium’s retail customers,” Simpson
pointed out. “He was the commercial sales
lead for this aspect of the business, while
also liaising closely with the operational
side, which largely dealt with providing the
right product at the right time in the right
format for the customer.”
Electrium was then acquired by Siemens in
2006. “Gary and I kept in touch over the
years,” continued Simpson, “and last year
he invited me to attend a supply chain
conference in London, which DynaSys was
sponsoring. I accepted the invitation and
Manufacturing & Logistics IT spoke with Paul Simpson, head of residential supply
chain management at Electrium Sales Ltd., about recent and ongoing enhancements to
the company’s IT estate and the business and operational rationale behind the changes.
Energising IT
www.logisticsit.com

6 ITMANUFACTURING
&LOGISTICS October 2016
during the event Gary explained what
DynaSys solutions could offer. Upon further
investigation I realised that DynaSys offered
the type of statistical and scientific
discipline to the whole supply chain and
demand forecasting process that we were
looking for within Electrium.”
After the Electrium board had agreed to
source the DynaSys Demand Planning
solution, Electrium established two main
sponsors for the project; Simpson, who was
given responsibility for the functional
outputs and requirements, and Dave
Woolham, Electrium’s head of IT. Simpson
and Woolham then liaised closely with both
Shaw and Barry Drummond, DynaSys’s
business development manager.
Commencing in April 2015, the Electrium
and DynaSys teams had a number of
strategy meetings, during which the
decision was made to source the DynaSys’
Easy On-Boarding Demand Planning
solution. Implementation then commenced
during the latter part of last year, with Chris
Yates, programme manager at DynaSys,
becoming involved and liaising with the
Electrium team, including the company’s
logistics manager Karen Taylor.
“The whole process, from discussions with
DynaSys to scoping and deploying the
system has been impressively fast,” said
Simpson. “When sourcing a new system, it
can be tempting to make something of a
monster out of the deployment by
customising its functionality to the exact
perceived requirements of the whole team
within the company. By doing this, systems
can grow a life of their own and become
rather cumbersome. However, DynaSys’
Easy On-Boarding solution gave us all the
key functionality that we required, whilst
retaining its inherent flexibility.”
One of the things Electrium needed to
determine early on during the scoping
process was whether DynaSys was able to
easily extract business and operational data
from its SAP ERP solution and then be able
to upload the updated demand
management information back into SAP
while respecting the Siemens’ security and
confidentiality protocols.
In this regard, one of Electrium’s ‘satellite’
software solutions, Phocas, became an
invaluable part of the mix. Phocas was
initially deployed by Electrium prior to
sourcing its first iteration of SAP some 12
years ago for the purpose of mining sales
and related data out of SAP on a frequent
basis. “Phocas was already mining the data
out of SAP and putting the information into a
data table, so all the information we
required was already mined and accessible
in accordance with Siemens’ security and
confidentiality protocols,” said Simpson.
From that point it was just a case of
understanding how DynaSys worked as a
demand planning tool. With this in mind,
DynaSys familiarised Electrium personnel
on using the software with products that
were unrelated to Electrium’s normal range.
“Through this type of training and
familiarising technique, we got to
understand the system from a purely
functional perspective,” said Simpson. “So
we were able to forget about the product
detail and concentrate more on how the
DynaSys system worked from a purely
demand-orientated perspective without
getting hung up on specific product details
related to our own company.”
Electrium then set up working groups
comprising people who were going to use
DynaSys as part of their daily routine, and
began a training process based on utilising
the system within the context of Electrium’s
own portfolio of products.
Sales & Operations Planning
One of the key selling points of the DynaSys
solution for Simpson was its Sales &
Operations Planning functionality. “DynaSys
looks at 20 different algorithms and
chooses the best fit for each product based
Interview Electrium Sales Ltd.
www.logisticsit.com

&LOGISTICS
upon historical demand. And because
Electrium deals with the retail, wholesale
and export markets, DynaSys also helps us
make forecast adjustments for each of
these segments.”
Simpson explained that DynaSys gives
Electrium statistical validity at the
granular/item level, so each product can be
treated in a different way. “For example, a
two-gang switch socket normally attracts a
very high demand, and prior to deploying
DynaSys we may have held six weeks’
worth of stock for the product. Because
DynaSys gives us the capability to treat the
requirements of each product individually,
we could more easily determine that,
because stock demand patterns for two-
gang switch sockets are so predictable it
might only be necessary to keep three
weeks’ worth of stock, thus freeing up
capital and space in the DC.”
ERP
In terms of its ERP requirements, Electrium
relies on SAP. “Prior to first sourcing SAP
around 5 years ago, we had used an IBM AS
-400 PRMS (Physical Resources Management
System),” remembered Simpson. “However,
this became increasingly customised in-
house. When users wanted to operate the
system in a particular way we would append
the system. With SAP you have the ability to
adjust the system to your requirements while
also benefitting from greater functional rigidity
and reliability within the system.”
Simpson added that, from Electrium’s
perspective, one of the key benefits of SAP is
that users can easily mine deep within its data
banks to access detailed information related to
any particular item in stock or on order.
However, in order to maximise the ease, speed
and flexibility of accessing data related to the
14,000 SKUs in its distribution centre (DC),
Electrium designed additional functionality within
Phocas so that it was able more easily to
present data in different groups. “We group
products into what we call ‘P types’, and we can
mine data out of Phocas to look at sales orders
within a particular P-type group. So, essentially
the process involves accessing data within SAP
at the granular level, and then analysing it as a
product group within Phocas. This functionality
is important in that it allows us to cluster
products together, moving sideways between
groups of product, and then diving down into
the detail to establish what is going on.”
On the sales and commercial side, Phocas was
first implemented around 15 years ago. “This
gave the company directors the ability to
analyse the activities of sales personnel and
how they were responding to different targets
etc.,” explained Simpson. “For example, you
could drill down to the national sales manager
level for a particular brand and then you could
drill down to regional teams or to individual
salespeople. So it was very useful in terms of
gaining a feel for what was going on in the
business and determining which areas of the
business needed more support.”
About nine years ago, Simpson and
Electrium’s then head of supply chain
management, John Gair, sat down and
discussed how the supply chain side of the
commercial Phocas functionality could be
enhanced so that the company could more
easily drill down into customer orders to
determine which customers were buying the
most stock, and survey supplier purchase
orders to ascertain which suppliers were the
most reliable terms of on-time delivery etc.
“For a number of years now, this aspect of
Phocas has been a highly respected
facilitator of this type of supply chain data,”
said Simpson.
WMS
In terms of warehouse management,
Electrium’s SAP WMS has proved itself to be
a highly effective system for stock control and
stock accuracy, according to Simpson. “We’re
well into the realm of 99.9 per cent stock
accuracy in the DC,” he enthused. “It used to
take four to five days to complete a stock take
with our old PRMS system; now within SAP we
can complete a wall-to-wall stock check –
every single product every single location, all
14,000 SKUs on site – in less than three days.
This offers major additional benefit in terms of
reduced downtime when counting items.
There are also the functional day-to-day
benefits that you get in terms of knowing
exactly what aisle and shelf location you need
to go to in order to pick a particular type and
quantity of product.”
Additionally, Simpson pointed out that if an
issue arises regarding a particular product on
Electrium Sales Ltd. Interview
www.logisticsit.com

October 20168 ITMANUFACTURING
&LOGISTICS
a particular day that particular product
doesn’t have to be isolated within the DC
universally. “If we have two different locations
for the same product – one delivered on 5
September and the other on 5 October – and
we find we have an issue with the batch code
of 5 September, we can freeze that location
while still being able to deliver the product we
received on 5 October.”
Simpson reflected that, because of the SAP
WMS’s functionality richness, when the
system was first implemented it took Electrium
staff in the DC a while to determine what flags
to turn on and which ones to turn off.
“However, we put the time in upfront and had
a particularly effective team employing that
approach. So it wasn’t long before we had 40
to 50 people within the DC gaining major
accuracy and time-saving benefits from the
WMS during every day of the week. Because
of these benefits the payback period for the
system was impressively short too.”
Order entry
Electrium has also developed new order
entry tools over the past year. “They’re
primarily aimed at providing a better
customer experience, in terms of ensuring
order information is stored in one electronic
iteration; cutting back on the need for
paperwork and the dual-keying of
information,” explained Simpson. “The
system also helps us to remain compliant
regarding regulatory rules and regulations.”
The order entry tools are SAP-based;
although Electrium’s IT staff have customised
these assets with some additional SQL-
based functionality.
Lean methodology
Simpson pointed out that a Lean IT
methodology is something Electrium is keen
to develop further going forward. “Deploying
the best IT solutions, customised where
necessary to our specific needs helps us
minimise waste within the business, whether
this relates to maximising the daily
efficiencies of staff performance, keeping the
right level of inventory in the DC in the best
accessible locations, storing and best
reacting to customer information, improving
manufacturing processes and so on.”
One of the more mature and long-proven IT
solutions within Electrium’s IT armoury is its
Gemba OEE (overall equipment
effectiveness) software package. It helps
Electrium to visually express objectives and
performance metrics using live data, helping
to drive continuous improvement where it is
most needed – for example, in terms of job
sequencing, maintenance, tracking and
removing the need for paper-based
operations wherever possible.
“This is a very valuable and reliable OEE
reporting tool for us,” said Simpson. “Among
its benefits is its ability to track the
productivity of individuals in the production
area producing, assembling or labelling.
Essentially this tracks and assesses output
quality and yield, and formulates
percentage-based appraisals which are then
multiplied together to form what is referred to
as an OEE statistic. We can then focus on
improving performance in any area that is
deemed to be under-performing. This also
ties in with our in-house Lean manufacturing
regime. It’s essentially our version of the
Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)
concept – a proven methodology for
reducing waste within manufacturing
processes. We refer to it as a ‘three-second
pit-stop’; making changeovers as quickly as
possible.”
Data capture
In terms of data capture, Electrium has relied
on RFID labels from Checkpoint Meto for a
number of years. The company also used
Motorola RF scanners in the DC for picking
and packing. “We don’t actually scan
specific item barcodes themselves because
they are not universally applied to the
products. Instead, we have a set of
barcodes that we utilise for various different
warehouse locations and different packaging
SKUs – the packaging SKUs could contain
anything from 1 item to 100.
Printing & labelling
Within the Electrium Residential production
facility are a number of Zebra inline printers
for the generation of 2-D and QR barcodes.
The barcodes are required mainly to meet
the requirements of the company’s retail
customers. Electrium also uses a Hand Held
Products inline laser verifier, which checks
the validity of the barcodes; e.g. that they
are positioned at a certain level in
accordance with the requirements of the
customer.
Greater efficiencies
In summary, Simpson said Electrium sees
the value of investing in state-of-the-art IT
solutions and related equipment, “The type
of financial commitment we put aside for
systems such as DynaSys Demand Planning
is a no-brainer when you consider the
business and operational benefits they can
bring to the table, not to mention the
enhanced service we are then able to
provide to our customers.”
Interview Electrium Sales Ltd.
www.logisticsit.com

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&LOGISTICS
Special Technology Report Printing & Labelling
www.logisticsit.com
T
his report will consider a host of
current key discussion points and
recent and ongoing areas of
innovation and development with the
printing & labelling space; one of
the most vibrant and fast-changing technology
areas actively deployed within the
manufacturing, logistics and retail fields. Michael
Dizdar, project manager, Panorama Consulting,
opens the debate by observing that labels are
moving away from being a display mechanism
for static, dated data. “Gone are the days where
a label was printed two days’ ago when a pallet
was received (and may or not be correct at the
current time) to a vessel that can give updated
and changeable information based on
transactional events and environmental factors,”
he said. “New labelling advances from
companies like Thinfilm allow real-time
temperature data to be produced accurately
and timely based on the needs of the current
user, not what was produced in the past based
on stale information.”
In terms of drivers for change, Dizdar makes the
point that the pervasiveness of technology into
the day-to-day lives of consumers has
significantly impacted the changes in the
labelling and printing environments. An end-user
of a label mostly likely has a ‘smartphone’, has
played a new video game, and/or interacted
with a kiosk at the grocery store – maybe all
within the last day,” he said. “This ease of
technology understanding and adoption has
driven advances to end user labelling and
printing requirements.”
Viroop Narla, mobility research analyst, Frost &
Sullivan, considers 3D printing and the
technology’s impact on the automotive industry.
This, he states, has primarily been in research
and development (R&D), but OEMs are turning
the corner into commercially printed parts for
mainstream production. Frost & Sullivan
research indicates that in 2014, 90% of 3D
printing applications in the automotive industry
were for prototyping and 10% for production,
enabling OEMs and suppliers to:
• Create proof of concepts with localised
manufacturing.
• Fabricate complex and unique production
tools such as jigs, fixtures, and moulds.
• Prototype parts, such as Ford’s 4-cylinder
EcoBoost engine and F-150 exhaust
manifold.
By 2025, new US OEMs such as Local Motors
are expected to increase adoption of
microfactory business models to:
• Print parts at authorised representative
locations, reducing supply chain
complexities and cost.
• Expand crowdsourcing and collaborative
design to capitalise on a diverse talent pool.
• Enable convenient and quick vehicle
servicing to maximise customer satisfaction.
Expansion of 3D printing in the value chain is
expected to face multiple challenges, such as:
• The high cost of 3D printing machinery and
materials.
• Conventional component manufacturers
lobbying governments against 3D printing.
• Customer patent infringement implications
for OEMs and suppliers.
Manufacturing & Logistics IT spoke with a number of experts from the vendor and analyst
communities about recent developments in the world of printing & labelling technologies.

&LOGISTICSwww.logisticsit.com
Special Technology ReportPrinting & Labelling
A shift from 3D prototyping to production is
expected by 2030 due to:
• An expected 40% reduction in raw material
prices for 3D printing.
• Price similarity: A conventionally
manufactured part now is 78% cheaper
than one that is 3D printed; the gap is
expected to shrink to as low as 11%.
Gartner analysts, Michael Shanler and Pete
Basiliere, comment that the 3D printing (3DP)
industry continues to see growth, innovation and
many new players. “While several of the seven
3DP technologies have existed for nearly 30
years, those early tools had limitations to speed,
quality, resolution and performance,” they said.
“They provided limited value to enterprises
beyond prototyping in manufacturing. Over the
last five years, the ‘maker movement’ catalysed
numerous 3DP activities and inspired 3DP
solution vendors and end users alike to begin
leveraging 3DP in ways to create brand new
values and societal impacts. Many industries
have moved beyond leveraging 3DP in
experiments and will be approaching an
inflection point within the next five years, where
executing on 3DP is industrialised into the value
chain.”
Shanler and Basiliere added that, recently,
major aerospace and automotive companies
have leveraged 3DP to create new products
and assemblies that were previously impossible
to build or to shorten delivery times on orders.
“New materials have been 3D-printed in the
retail industry to create new aesthetic and
performance characteristics, as well as to satisfy
consumers' growing appetite for personalised
products,” they remarked.
Shanler and Basiliere
also make the point
that the medical
device and healthcare
community has
moved toward
improved patient
outcomes and
reduced cycle times
by delivering 3D-
printed personalised
dental devices,
hearing aids, implants and surgical tools.
However, they comment that while there are a
lot of 3DP technologies that have promise and
have moved beyond the proof of concept phase
at companies, not every organisation is ready to
adopt. Further, merely adopting 3DP in a
vacuum can be a recipe for disaster, they said,
adding: “The majority of organisations still need
to adapt or create new internal processes for
handling 3DP workflows, data, hardware, supply
chain management and products. The
mainstream media, vendor capitalists (VCs) and
vendors are still creating a very ‘hyped’
environment where 3DP can solve everything –
from 3D-printed food to end world hunger to
creating body parts so people can live forever.”
Internet of Things
David Stain, senior vertical marketing manager
EMEA manufacturing, field mobility &
healthcare, Zebra Technologies, comments that
developments we see taking prominence are
the need to bring the Internet of Things (IoT) to
life in the printing/auto ID world. This, he
explains, is about making the print devices
visible across the user estate where there may
be several hundred or thousand devices,
flagging their status, use rate and being able to
manage them from a central location.
Configurability
Another development of note, according to
Stain, is the appreciation that the labels
themselves have become much more
configurable by use case; for example, new
RFID tags designed specifically to work better
on metal components, shelf-edge labels that
peel away more easily when being replaced
and wrist bands for medical applications. Stain
considers that the drivers for change can be
characterised as follows:
• Customisation. “Both end user and
enterprises want products and components
that are right for them. Hence we are seeing
mass customisation or product variants
being produced to fulfil this need.”
• Visibility. “In a connected world, all devices
need to be connected and indeed the
outputs of a printer – the tag or label –
enable the connectivity by giving a digital
voice to the item it
is placed on.
More and more
we are seeing,
however, the
need to connect
the printer to the
network so status
can be observed.
Also, the ability to
connect quickly to
other peripherals
such as scanners
or mobile computers is key to efficiency and
intelligence.”
• Availability. People will wait for goods and
merchandise if they get accurate and
convenient delivery commitments. Those
that won’t will shop around, so inventory
visibility is key and getting the stock to a
convenient location for the customer just as
key. Track & trace is vital to both.”
Centralisation and
standardisation
Ken Moir, VP marketing, NiceLabel,
comments that, first, there is more
centralisation and standardisation taking
place because companies want to increase
the agility of their business. “These types of
process optimisation benefits can mean
companies are able to ship product faster,
sell more product, have less downtime, have
less product returns, reduce inventory,
mitigate the risk of mislabelling etc. – these
are the key drivers for change,” he said.
Also, Moir points out that web technology now
allows companies to do client-side web printing.
“This is now fully usable,” he said. “The latest
web technology doesn’t require Silverlight or
Flash plugins, and doesn’t require administration
rights for users to install software locally. So
web-based technology can now be deployed
anywhere across the extended supply chain for
any authorised user. It can be deployed across
your own business, your stores, your franchises,
your suppliers, your contract manufacturers or
your 3PLs etc., and all be controlled centrally.”
Moir adds that the latest integration systems
and service buses also allow companies to
take advantage of universal templates and

www.logisticsit.comOctober 201612 ITMANUFACTURING
&LOGISTICS
print from any device on any operating
system. “So a big part of the story here is
mobility; it’s not just PCs that you can print
from, it’s also tablets and android devices,”
he remarked. “Most retail stores and
warehouses use mobile devices and it’s now
easy to actually print from these devices. You
no longer need to hard code or generate and
embed printer command templates in your
applications. This is what NiceLabel calls
next-generation mobile printing.”
Previously, explains Moir, some vendors
would offer template printing solutions
whereby users could design a label, print it to
file, take the printer command language and
embed it within their application. “However,
what users now want are universal templates,”
he said. “Integration systems now make it
easy for iOS, Android etc. to print universal
intelligent labels; they don’t need to store
separate templates for different mobile
devices. It’s now easy to integrate mobile
computers into label management systems
(LMS) so that users can print to any printer,
whether mobile or fixed. It doesn’t matter what
printer you use. The point is that mobile,
desktop or tablet computers can be easily
integrated into LMS.”
In terms of the key drivers for change, Moir
comments that, in addition to reduced product
returns, reduced inventory, reduction in
labelling errors, etc., there are drivers
concerning legal compliance. “In life sciences,
the FDA UDI deadline recently passed in the
US,” he pointed out. “The next thing regarding
medical device manufacture is going to be the
EU medical device
directive. In
pharmaceutical,
there will be further
changes regarding
serialisation and
track and trace over
the next couple of
years. This is all
naturally driving the
need for a more
centralised,
standardised
labelling
methodology.”
Greater business efficiency
Ioana Nitu, product manager at ICT services
provider Brother UK, states that the main
function of mobile and label printers in the
manufacturing and logistics industry is to
increase business efficiency by allowing
employees to print simply, quickly and easily
while on the move, and this hasn't changed.
However, what has changed in her view is the
capabilities of the technology in facilitating this,
and that is what is steering the biggest trends at
the minute. “As businesses across all sectors,
including this one, broaden the devices they're
using, connectivity has become more important,”
said Nitu. “Manufacturing businesses are
investing resource into innovative new
technology to help employees work more
efficiently while reducing costs, and any print
systems need to be compatible with these.”
Running almost parallel to this, according to Nitu,
is the growth of different technology used across
businesses and the impact this has on how
easily these different devices integrate. “As
technology develops, businesses are
continuously trialing new software and hardware,
making it more and more challenging to ensure
these different systems are compatible with each
other,” she said. “We're finding that customers,
now more than ever, want mobile printers that
integrate easily with existing systems and cause
minimum disruption.”
Additionally, Nitu considers that the evolution of
technology over the past decade has raised the
bar in terms of customer expectations. “In
everyday life people want solutions which have
an instant impact with minimal inconvenience,
and this is certainly the case in this sector,” she
said. “Customers are looking for high-speed,
compact devices that increase business
efficiency and empower employees from any
location.”
Nitu added that the speed that technology has
developed in recent years has led to a
continuous need for investment in Brother’s
products. “All of our solutions are designed with
the customers’ needs front of mind, and we
spend a lot of time understanding the sector and
the challenges they're facing to ensure our
products can help meet these needs,” she said.
“Our mobile print solutions seamlessly integrate
with industry-leading software, meaning the set-
up and incorporation of the technology into
existing systems is straightforward. We've also
invested in the range of connectivity options
available on our products, helping to ensure
they're compatible with a both iOS and Android
devices. Print speed has always been a key
feature for us, coupled with the continued need
for reliable, hardwearing and compact solutions.”
Mari Waldron, global business development
manager, Honeywell printers, points to key areas
of development as being simplicity, ease-of-use
and connectivity – with command language auto
sense, printers automatically analysing incoming
data streams. This, she explains, means a user
can pull the printer out of the box and
immediately start printing, which makes the start-
up process quick and simple for the end user.
“Customers have come to expect user-friendly
design, including a large, multi-colour touch
screen with easy-to-use commands,” said
Waldron. “This is driven by consumerisation
trends, which means a familiar interface and
compatibility with consumer devices, such as
smartphones.”
In terms of motivation for change, Waldron
believes the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
and the need for connectivity is driving retailers,
manufacturers and supply chain firms to invest in
technology to enhance their business
performance. She points out that companies look
to connected devices to improve flexibility,
efficiency and profitability.
Increased adoption of
consumer technology
In addition, Waldron explains that Honeywell
customers place a strong emphasis on ease-
of-use when it comes to technology for their
workers. “This is partly driven by an increased
adoption of consumer technology,” she said.
“Workers on a manufacturing or distribution
centre floor expect the devices they use to be
familiar and intuitive. This is particularly
important when hiring and training new
workers. For seasonal workers hired during
peak times, a printer must be easy to use in
order for the new staff to be productive in a
short amount of time.”

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Jörk Schüßler, marketing director EMEA for
Citizen Systems Europe, maintains that
omnichannel, mPOS and reverse logistic are
some of the most interesting current talking
points where printing and labelling is involved.
“For example, customers now receive and return
goods in a variety of ways, which can be
challenging for warehouse and logistics
operations,” he said. “To ensure this process is
efficient and not overly costly for the goods
provider, it requires perfect integration. For
instance, let’s say a customer who ordered
something online opts to pick up the
merchandise in store but return it via a courier if
they decide not to keep it. The customer will
receive a receipt from the store, and also a
returns label to send back the goods. This
places different demands on printers. The way to
overcome the challenge is to combine the use of
mobile POS and label printers or box printers,
and perfectly integrated them – through Wi-Fi or
Bluetooth – into the shop’s retail system.”
Regarding motivation for development, Schüßler
explains that these changes are simply driven by
the changing world and the different demands of
shoppers. “Potential customers are always online
nowadays and they expect the same from
shops,” he said. “They demand the same user
experience from the tools they use at home as
they do in their professional lives. The line
between private and professional IT is blurring
more and more, with the user experience
becoming a critical factor in the success of
implementing different technologies.”
Laurent Lassus, general manager marketing &
product management, SATO, believes the
most current trends in printing and labelling
are connectivity,
more intelligent
printing and mobility
of equipment, and
that they all relate to
the wider Internet of
Things (IOT)
megatrend. “End
users are demanding
printers that easily
connect to the
network and can
communicate
through a number of
ways; for example, Bluetooth and WiFi,” he
said.
Lassus added that printers with intelligence
onboard, such as SATO Application Enabled
Printing (AEP), mean that separate printers and
PCs are no longer required. “An application-
enabled printer not only has its own internal
processing power – so it can connect to other
devices such as weighing scales, a handheld
barcode scanner, or a keyboard, and it can print
without the need to connect to a PC – but it is
designed to be readily reprogrammable,” said
Lassus. “With increased intelligence, printers can
also monitor their status, reporting back to the
maintenance team 24/7, and alerting them before
any problems occur. This reduces downtime as
well as unnecessary regular service costs.”
Also, Lassus explains mobile printers that are
portable and easy to operate allow users to print
on the move, where and when required,
regardless of having to be near a power supply
or infrastructure. In Lassus’s view, drivers for
development include the continual need for
businesses to work more efficiently, and
streamline operations, with the adoption of
Cloud-based technologies.
Optimisation
Gartner analyst, Lai-ling Lam, states that
providers can no longer rely on the success
formulae of print hardware and supplies to thrive
in this industry. Printing cost, being one of the
nonpriority expenses, was high on the cost-
cutting lists of most organisations. To control
printing costs, Lam points out that organisations
have embarked on projects to optimise their
printing fleets, reduce hardware purchases, and
control excessive printing and supplies usage.
As a result, print volume has shrunk, followed by
lower consumables sales. Total end-user
spending on printers, copiers and multifunction
products (MFPs) has declined for the past five
years. In 2015, total end-user spending on
printers, copiers and MFPs declined 6.2% while
consumables spending for enterprises shrank
13%, and the outlook for the next five years is not
expected to improve despite having small
pockets of growth, such as production printing.
Lam comments that adoption of print
management tools to track and monitor printing
patterns also helps
organisations to
manage printing
activities. “As
electronic business
and communication
processes gradually
replace paper,
organisations are
reducing costs by
moving pages from
printed to digital form
and printing only
when and where they
truly need physical documents,” she said.
Print providers, in turn, evaluate, transform and
adapt to a maturing technology market and
businesses' impending challenges, commented
Lam. “The need for organisations to manage
printing costs and move content freely back and
forth from physical to digital is creating
opportunities for providers,” she said. “The need
to better manage printing costs in organisations
led to the growth in managed print services
(MPS) over the years. As organisations seek to
digitise their work processes and manage their
workflow more efficiently and effectively, print
providers are investing in expanding their range
of solutions, such as data capture and retrieval
solutions, document management services and
managed content services (MCS), that help
companies to this end. Investment in high-
volume digital printing technology is increasing
as print service providers gradually shift from
offset to digital printing.”
Lam added that the growing trend toward Cloud
delivery, digital transformation and global
adoption of mobile devices leads to revenue
opportunities for print management solutions and
a possibility for managed IT services that extend
beyond printing.
Printable electronics and
the packaging industry
Mike Hopkins, project manager, CDi Yorkshire (a
special interest group of the BPIF), explains that
the increase in the use of smartphones and the
incorporation of printed electronic solutions and
printed logic into consumer products is creating
a global billion-dollar industry. “In 2013, over 967
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million smartphones
were sold to
consumers worldwide
and it is projected that
by 2019 sales of
smartphones will
reach over 2 billion,”
he said. “The
capabilities of
smartphones and the
way in which we use
them has changed
since the first
smartphones came onto the market in the late
1990s. Today’s smartphones include touch-
screens, high-speed internet access and NFC
(near field communications) which has altered
the way we interact with people, and objects,
conduct business and make purchases.”
As the market opportunities and demand to
incorporate NFC into smart products grows,
Hopkins points out that so does the demand to
produce high-volume printed electronic
components at low cost. “This is essential to
extend the reach of electronic intelligence into
everyday objects, where conventional silicon-
based electronics is unsuitable,” he said.
The BPIF is involved with project SCOPE, the aim
of which is to develop new processes,
equipment and applications – in essence
building a UK supply chain – in order to meet the
growing demand for high volume (billions or
even trillions) units incorporating various
components, at low cost. It will also provide a
technology platform to develop new, innovative
and ultimately more complex and novel
functionalities and applications, build skills and
capabilities and strengthen the UK supply-chain.
Initial concepts have been carried out to develop
low-cost, high volume, printed logic for
integration into labels, for smart packaging and
product branding on fast moving consumable
goods for the end user. Initially prototypes were
produced using a combination of conventional
and printed electronics, including Labels
incorporating LEDs, used for promotional
purposes by one of the UK’s major fast moving
consumer goods manufacturers. While the
prototypes demonstrated the potential for printed
electronics, the concepts have been
predominantly manufactured with conventional
electronic components. The project is continuing
to work to overcome the challenges of creating a
hybrid label which will be manufactured with
both conventional and printed electronics that is
able to survive the rigorous application process
and post labelling electronic quality control.
Hopkins explains that the printing of electronic
functionality will enable designers to embed
technology into their designs, creating innovative
components that are smarter, lightweight and
wireless without the need for expensive and rigid
silicon chips. “Typically, the technology has been
embedded into RFID (radio frequency
identification device) tags used for tagging and
tracking purposes,” he said. “These electronic
tags (circuits) contain data which can then be
transmitted back to an antenna using radio
frequency signals. But NFC is an emerging
technology which goes one step further. An NFC
chip, which is embedded into a device, operates
as one part of a wireless link. Once it is activated
by another chip, data can then be gathered and
transferred between the two devices when held
a few centimetres apart.”
Hopkins adds that printable electronics is
moving from niche applications into more
lucrative mainstream applications. One such
application area is packaging and labelling. “As
the unit price for a printed electronic system falls,
smart packaging is set to become a reality and
may even evolve into what futurists are heralding
as an ‘Internet of Packaging’,” he said. Hopkins
observes that brands, packaging companies
and retailers are all keen to embrace this
technology for applications such as:
• Anti-counterfeiting/brand protection.
• Consumer management.
• Logistics track and trace.
• Monitoring a pack’s contents.
“All of these functions can be framed within
the umbrella term ‘smart packaging’ as a set
of technologies that allow packaging to
contain, evaluate and transmit relevant
information,” he said.
Back-office relationship
In terms of the relationship between some state-
of-the-art Printing and Labelling systems, what
do you feel have been some of the key recent
changes? Nitu believes this ties into the growing
trend for seamless integration. “Businesses are
looking for one solution to help them increase
business efficiency and cost savings,” she said.
“Our customers don't care if it's different
companies providing these services, so long as
they work together as one solution which is why
simple integration is key.” Nitu adds that due to
the flexibility that technology has offered
businesses, customers are also now demanding
bespoke end-to-end solutions that serve their
specific needs. “No one business and their
requirements is identical, so it's important ICT
services providers spend time understanding the
company and ensuring its mobile print or
labelling solution is going to achieve optimum
results,” she said.
Dizdar considers one revolutionary change to be
the increasing incidence of data that originates
outside of the ‘system’ (ERP/CRM/WMS, etc.)
and ends up being printed via a label or other
‘hard copy’ means. “Data collection is no longer
restricted to the four walls of a facility,” he said.
“Instead, information can be obtained via any
number of devices – whether a personal phone,
an anchored RFID reader, or a camera attached
to a traffic light. These different collection
mechanisms are driving consistency and
openness with the ERP/CRM/WMS vendors in
order to allow their customers ease of integration
and use.”
Waldron considers that, increasingly, users are
wanting to print their own shipping label directly
from their smartphones to reduce cost and
increase speed. “It is important for printers to
integrate with smartphones – supporting the
major mobile
operating systems –
in order to seamlessly
connect the devices,”
she said. “For
example, a consumer
needs to ship a
parcel. He or she
books the shipment
with a smartphone
app and takes the
parcel to a store to
ship. Using the
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phone’s camera, the
consumer scans a
barcode from the
store’s printer screen,
which pairs the device
to the printer and
communicates the
shipping data. The
printer immediately
prints the shipping
label, thereby saving
time and giving the
shopper a user-
friendly process. Honeywell’s PC43d printer
offer a hi-res, colour display to enable this
process.” Another trend highlighted by Waldron
involves the use of smartphone apps and
mobile printers in transportation & logistics
space. “Delivery drivers are being utilised for
other doorstep services, such as collecting
parcels, for which a receipt or label would be
needed,” she said.
Stain believes touch to pair on devices is without
a doubt of massive benefit to enterprises that
see a huge time saving as configuring printer to
scanner or mobile computer, is done in seconds
– almost like the speed difference between
contactless card payment transactions and the
PIN number method. Stain also makes the point
that manufacturing is in the midst of Industry 4.0
(the 4th Industrial Revolution). “That means one
of the key elements is better visibility of material
flow through the line extending right back to the
supply chain = AIDC and RFID deployment,” he
said. “Transport & logistics business are seeing
parcel delivery increasing and the need for
accurate time slot of delivery. Waiting in all day
for a parcel is no longer acceptable for the
consumer. 30- and 15-minute delivery windows
are here along with a stream of notification
capabilities to the customer on status of
delivery.”
SaaS and Cloud
In terms of device integration, Stain points out
that Zebra offers Cloud Connect, which allows
Link-OS printers to interact with the Cloud. It also
drives areas such as SAP or Oracle ERP
integration as well as Zebra’s Link OS PDF Direct
capability that allows the printing of PDF
documents without middleware. Stain explains
that integration can, of course, cover everything
from document design and device integration
through to device management and developer
tools. Regarding developer tools, he thinks it is
important that users provide an SDK developer
kit to their suppliers to allow them to use the app
in the way that suits them best. This, he adds,
can also enable the devices and the Cloud
platform to connect better.
Stain said many of the Cloud challenges that
Zebra comes across are around what the
company terms terminal emulation, for
companies that want their brand on the label,
and also want standard format and standard
label sizing. “These companies want the format
of that printer to be able to be emulated across
all the devices on their estate,” he explained.
“This is an area where the Cloud can really reap
benefits because you can place your template in
the Cloud for, as an example, front of store for
houseware and this can then be downloaded by
each store as a when they are need it.”
Convenience
Stain adds that in the retail world ‘convenience’,
is becoming the watchword; hence the click &
collect and home delivery markets are
developing to fulfil the consumer need, as well
as seeing into other store branches’ stock levels
to check availability. In terms of the healthcare
market, Stain points out that Positive Patient ID is
the cornerstone of secondary healthcare. He
also makes the point that, with the digitalisation
of records, administration of the right treatment
and medication is now much more accessible.
“In hospital, that means giving the patient a
digital voice via a wristband,” he said.
Lassus believes the methods of communications
have seen the most development. “Bluetooth-
enabled printing has been available for a
number of years, but now printers are being built
with SIM cards and 3- and even 4G capabilities,”
he said. “Near field communication (NFC) is also
being introduced into equipment which allows
users to simply copy the settings from a printer
to an Android phone, so they can send the same
settings to other printers while they are switched
off. The NFC also allows users’ phones to view
some of the printer’s settings which is an
advantage for service.”
Moir points out that SAP is the ERP system of
choice for many companies, particularly the
larger ones. “We realised that more and more
companies wanted to deploy LMS and see
previews of labels inside SAP before they printed
them as finished labels; basically, they wanted to
see the label with the master data in the ERP
system,” he explained. “However, there wasn’t
an easy way to get a preview into SAP from
LMS. Realising that some of our clients had
spent a considerable amount of time trying to
achieve this, we decided to develop an add-on
for SAP, which has proved to be very popular
with our customers. We are now looking to
develop similar pre-built solutions for other
systems so that more companies are able to
achieve faster time to value.”
In Schüßler’s view, one key change that stands
out is the relationship between mobile and back-
office systems, which is so close that they have
to become one system. “This combination helps
enterprises to work more efficiently by reducing
time and increasing precision,” he said.
Convergence
What are the current key discussion points
concerning convergence within the printing &
labelling technology space? Dizdar comments
that convergence is a consequence of
technological advancement, thus it is a
positive force for the end user and the
marketplace. “End users are going to
continue to demand increasing functionality
from any technological device in the future,”
he said. “Technology that can only perform a
single task is going to be seen as outdated
when compared to other multi-function
technologies. For example, the ability to take
a picture via a
smartphone is now
commonplace; thus
for many purchasing
a camera to take
pictures is now
unthinkable. From a
printing/labelling
perspective, a
movement towards
multiple functions
(with printing as one
of the basket of
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functions) for a device will be seen as
commonplace and necessary at a minimum.”
Moir believes there will be an increasing level of
convergence in terms of, for example, labelling
and direct marking solutions. A good case in
point is the dairy company he referenced earlier,
which has adopted a NiceLabel LMS solution
that satisfies both its labelling and marking
requirements. Moir is also seeing convergence in
the ability to access label master data from ERP
and MES on mobile devices such as
smartphones and tablets; as well as on desktop
PCs. “Again, the requirement for greater
standardisation and centralisation is driving
conversion,” he said. “We also see that more
and more companies want to reduce IT
complexity because this also helps to reduce
costs and unplanned downtime, as well as save
time and increase agility.”
Schüßler sees the convergence trend as very
positive. “The acceptance is much higher and it
offers the chance to choose best of breed
solutions,” he said. “Besides that, IT isn’t any
longer a secret or bad things. Most people fully
understand that it is making their work life and
private life much easier.” Lassus also believes
the convergence of technology is a good thing
for manufacturers. “With printers using the same
common languages to communicate, installation
and operation will become much easier, so users
can ensure their workplace runs more efficiently,”
he remarked.
In general, Waldron considers technology
convergence to be a positive trend. “Today,
businesses face constant pressure to do more
with less,” she said. “More often, enterprises are
looking at Smart Printing, in which the printer
runs apps and
doesn’t require a
computer, to support
convergence. This
can help reduce
costs as a company
does not need to
invest in additional
computers to support
their printers. Smart
Printing also leads to
decreased energy
consumption, a
smaller environmental footprint and efficient use
of valuable space. We also see this in the field
for connecting mobile workers and enhancing
productivity. Logistics and direct-store-delivery
firms are implementing PrintPads which combine
a mobile computer and a printer, vehicle-mount
printers and wearable printers.”
Stain explains that Zebra is putting labels on hot
ingots of steel for Tata Steel. “If you have this
type of convergence capability regarding
adhesives and labelling within the business it
starts to open up many more avenues of
application,” he said. “I think part of the
challenge for many print companies is they don’t
have a print supply business, whereas Zebra
does. In terms of marking, from etching through
to direct part marking, our scanners can read
both.” Stain added that tap to pair is another
convergence where NFC enables printer and
scanner to be paired swiftly.
Stain considers that technology will continue to
advance, but believes we need to remember
that many enterprises want scalability. “So even
though sensing technology could be seen as a
threat to the printed barcode, having a portfolio
that embraces both positions the supplier in a
more strategic light with customers as it gives
them choices as to which technology to deploy
based on use case and density of visibility
needed.”
The future
What might be the next key
innovations/developments to look out for over
the next year or two within the printing &
labelling technology space? Dizdar
anticipates continued development of the
ability for a printed document or label to give
‘real-time’ information in a proactive instead
of a reactive manner. “Instead of a label
‘waiting’ to be accessed by a user, the label
will utilise rules and data to determine when
to inform due to changes in the entity that is
labelled,” he said. Another development,
states Dizdar, is to continue to allow for a
user outside of a closed system to access
data via a label or printed document. “This
will allow organisations to market better
transparency between themselves and the
end customer due to the end user’s ability to
access data via
labels or printed
material,” he
explained.
Schüßler reflects that
labelling & printing
are commodity
solutions nowadays.
“They might be
enhanced in a way
that they are APP like
and web-based
systems, so for the
next year or two I think usability might be the
main focus,” he said. Waldron believes linerless
media presents interesting, environmentally
friendly opportunities in printing and labelling in
industrial applications. “When printing linerless
labels, backing paper, which may end up in
land-fill, is eliminated,” she explained. “In
addition, there is no risk of workers slipping or
tripping over any backing paper hanging off a
printer in linerless printing.”
Waldron added that the future of the printing &
labelling marketplace will be dynamic as
companies look for ways to reduce costs and
increase productivity. “Consumers and retailers
are increasingly moving away from printed
receipts and instead receiving their confirmations
and invoices by email,” she said. “Printer
manufacturers need to continue to find new ways
to deliver solutions that still provide Return on
Investment where demand is reduced.”
Stain believes we will see the 2D barcode get
a lot smaller; to micro label size. “This can be
very valuable from a security and authenticity
(fake product) standpoint, for example,” he
said. “Zebra has already supplied micro
labelling to a number of electronic
manufacturing businesses. This means the
companies are able to identify small parts very
easily and readily using 2D barcodes with scan
capabilities on the other machines. Therefore, I
believe marking, and certainly 2D printing, will
increasingly become not just about ID; we will
also start to see more security features too.”
Stain also maintains that interoperability
between devices will grow, and that will yield
unprecedented ease of use, configuration and
manageability. Also, he believes the ability to
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embed identity into a small form factor will help
lead to an age of total transparency.
Hopkins observes that developments in smart
and connected electronics applications are
opening up significant new market opportunities
in areas such as e-health, intelligent packaging
and wearable technology (IoT technology).
Hopkins reminds us that the Internet of Things
describes a world in which every day physical
objects or ‘things’ are embedded with
electronics, sensors and connectivity which
enable them to exchange data with the
manufacturer, operator and/or other connected
devices.
He adds that, although embedded computers
have been able to communicate wirelessly for
years, the majority of these have been closed
systems that are only able to communicate with
a central computer. “With the Internet of Things,
devices are able to communicate with other
devices,” he points out. “They have the ability to
communicate through wireless technologies
(such as RFID and NFC), are able to report on
activities worldwide through sensors, and they
can be controlled or accessed from anywhere in
the world. The Cloud provides the power to
store and exchange information, irrespective of
location.” Hopkins explains that we are able to:
• Connect to things simply by scanning them
with our smartphone.
• Monitor things remotely.
• Manage things better, from traffic flows to
use of energy within the home.
• Control things, such as smart thermostats.
Project SCOPE
Project SCOPE, in which the BPIF’s role is to
connect the technology and technology
providers to the packaging industry, began in
late 2014 and will conclude in the middle of next
year. Towards the end of the project the BPIF will
devise awareness and training programmes to
inform the industry of the new opportunities that
the technology will open up. Hopkins points out
that of particular importance will be the
brainstorming with the technology experts to
understand the potential applications of the
technology both now and in the future and how
the label industry in particular can integrate into
their production runs.
Narla considers that the future price of 3D
printing is expected to stagnate if speed,
machinery technical capabilities, software usage,
and material specifications do not change
significantly; conventional manufacturing
techniques are still expected to dominate.
He added that the cost of difference between
conventional manufacturing and 3D printing is
expected to shrink to only 11% by 2030 based
on close parity to raw material prices. A
summary of some of the key future indicators
regarding 3D printing from Frost & Sullivan’s
perspective is as follows:
• Large-scale commercialisation of 3D printing
is expected to bring about faster and
localised production, but only by achieving
economies of scale.
• Current high cost of materials and
machinery, and low printing speeds, prohibit
large-scale manufacturing.
• Only very-low-volume production can be
undertaken when tooling investment is
necessary.
• Prices decline exponentially as quantities
increase since cost is spread over
quantities.
• In the future, low prices for materials and
machinery are expected to lower production
costs.
• Printing time and material availability
challenges still expected to prohibit wide
adoption and stagnate prices.
Lassus believes the next generation of printers
will have look and feel of tablets and
smartphones, becoming PCs that print, rather
than simply printers. “Users will come to expect
a similar user experience throughout their
industrial applications as they find in their typical
day-to-day personal lives,” he said.
Lam comments that weak demand for print
hardware and consumables will remain the main
challenges for print vendors as demand for
printed pages stagnates or declines, and
content moves from paper to digital. She adds
that consumables spending will fall at a faster
pace than hardware spending within the forecast
period. Lam also maintains that print services
and solutions will become growth drivers that
place print vendors in front of enterprises;
however, their revenue
contribution would
remain a small part of
the overall print
industry. Lam adds that
total enterprise print
spending will still shrink
throughout the forecast
period. However, “the
shift to Cloud,
increased workforce
mobility and digital
business transformation are opening up
opportunities for print providers to sell related
MCS solutions”, she said.
Shanler comments that while there are myriad
options for 3D printing of concept ‘non-
functional’ prototypes to assist with iterative
design and feedback, users could consider
driving 3DP for creation of ‘functional
prototypes’. “This could mean leveraging more
advanced 3DP technologies, such as powder
bed fusion and directed energy deposition, that
may deliver more exotic materials than
traditional acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene
(acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastics,” he
said. Shanler added that using 3DP for
prototyping can assist with reducing new
product development schedules via faster,
frequent and more insightful feedback when in
the concept/ideation, research, development
and beta-testing phases.
Moir considers that IoT will increasingly
empower managed print services (MPS) and
predictive maintenance etc. He anticipates that
further Cloud and Software as a Service (SaaS)
development will also continue to change
things. “In the near future, LMS could move to a
model that’s something similar to Office 365,
and a lot of this will be multi-tenancy in the
Cloud,” he said. “I think when people become
more confident about having business-critical
manufacturing applications in the Cloud this will
become more prevalent. It is possible that
smaller users will move to this type of solution
before some of the large businesses, then more
and more companies of all sizes will adopt it.
The main point is the Cloud and SaaS will
change LMS in the future. Indeed, I think we will
start to see SaaS LMS in the Cloud within the
next few years.”

&LOGISTICS
Printing & Labelling Opinion
W
ith more than 63,000
companies operating in
the sector, the UK logistics
environment has arguably
never been more
competitive. New small businesses and the
consolidation of larger companies, combined
with increasing fuel prices and the fluctuating
value of sterling, has resulted in significant
pressure on prices and therefore margins.
Indeed, considering the growing
opportunities in emerging markets, the
competitiveness of the sector is only going to
intensify in coming years. It’s therefore
becoming increasingly critical that logistics
firms focus on finding new ways to save time,
increase efficiency for enhanced
performance and deliver greater value to
customers.
In his foreword to the Freight Transport
Association (FTA) Logistics Report 2016, FTA
chief executive David Wells pinpointed
greater technical innovation as a key
opportunity, and one which has the potential
to make UK logistics firms among the best in
the world. This could not be truer, as the
technology is there for the taking.
Essential fixture
Everything from transportation management
systems to unmanned robotics is now a
possibility for the logistics industry, yet it is
often the smaller elements that can have the
biggest impact on operations. Take printers,
for example. They are an essential fixture in
any warehouse for producing documents,
slips and labels that if specified correctly can
streamline processes and boost productivity,
but if not can waste resources, cause
considerable delays and, ultimately, eat into
profits.
This is especially true when it comes to
barcode label printers as poor image
reproduction can result in rejected deliveries
and the associated significant, unnecessary
costs that come from extra transport and
administration fees. In the case of shipping
perishable goods, these costs can be
particularly steep and cause weighty damage
to a supplier’s bottom line and reputation.
Equally, some printers are not designed to
withstand the demanding warehouse
environment and will succumb after only
short operating lives, requiring frequent
replacements and resulting in yet more
unnecessary dents in the budget.
The job calls for rugged devices that can
cope with challenging environments and
consistently produce high quality, fast and
reliable results over high volume workloads if
tangible time and cost savings are to be
realised. In response, market leading printer
manufacturers that understand the
challenges experienced by the logistics
industry have been developing technology
that delivers exactly that to help firms
manage costs, achieve the best possible
return on investment and maximise
profitability.
The latest generation of industrial desktop
printers, such as the CL-S700 from Citizen
Systems, are specifically designed to provide
extreme efficiency over long operating lives in
busy warehouses. These robust yet compact
machines offer high performance printing at
up to 10 inches per second and excellent
quality definition for accurate DataBar, QR-
Code, Datamatrix and PDF417 reproduction.
Gain the competitive
www.logisticsit.com

Printing & LabellingOpinion
They are also ideal for the logistics industry
where space is often at a premium as they
include clever features like vertical opening,
which does not expand the already small
footprints of the units when the lid is opened
for media or ribbon changes.
Another innovation in the printer market that
is delivering huge benefits to logistics
companies is the introduction of mobile
printers. Harnessing the increased
capabilities of mobile devices, these
industrial handheld units are an ideal solution
for quick and easy label and receipt printing.
They have been specially designed for
simple operation and feature USB, Bluetooth
and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as iOS and
Android compatibility, meaning that they can
be operated using a standard mobile
smartphone or tablet with suitable software or
an application.
Unlike some other mobile technologies, these
printers are built to last and withstand tough,
frequent use. Citizen’s CMP-40L, for instance,
is IP54 rated and made with a durable and
shock-resistant moulded plastic housing that
means it can survive being dropped from up
to 1.8 metres and keep on running. These
models also provide exceptionally long
battery life and ample media capacity for
reliable operation over long periods of time
without having to be charged or the media
being changed.
Reduced risk of errors
As well as providing a high quality print
output, convenient mobile printers can help
logistics firms to achieve substantial time
savings and increased productivity by
eliminating the need for unnecessary trips
backwards and forwards between a point in
a warehouse and an office, where a static
printer might otherwise have been located.
Similarly, this instant, on-the-spot printing in
situ reduces the risk of errors. The units are
also extremely quick and easy to set up and
configure and require minimum maintenance
for uninterrupted label and receipt
production. Consequently, the time saved
can be spent elsewhere on other areas of the
business that perhaps require more attention
for better operational efficiency.
Although the competitiveness of the sector
might be daunting, there are routes that
individual businesses can take and options
that can be explored for enhancing
operations and delivering greater value.
Giving due attention to the smaller details –
even down to the label and receipt printers in
a warehouse – can create significant
improvements in efficiency, productivity and
profitability that give logistics firms the
competitive edge.
www.citizen-systems.com
Citizen CL-E720
If you‘re searching for a
printing solution that can
help you to achieve efficiency
savings, look no further!
The CL-E720 is packed with
features usually reserved for
higher class machines. It is
a highly reliable and cost
effective printer, perfect for
busy environments.
Further key benefits:
• Space saving design
• Hi-Open™ Case
• Easy media loading
• Simple maintenance
operation
High spec,
low budget!
Scan for
more Info.

Label management
F
or many years, label design was
largely something that was
undertaken using a software
package installed on a PC.
However, today’s state-of-the-art
web-based printing and labelling solutions
can allow companies to maximise value for
their own businesses – and their partners –
by providing a single, scalable platform to
manage all their global labelling and marking
management needs. At NiceLabel, we call
this new category of solution LMS (label
management systems). Initially it was mainly
the larger companies that began to deploy
this type of technology. Now, based on the
compelling deliverables enjoyed by these
enterprise-level organisations, we are seeing
an increasing number of smaller companies
taking on board this type of solution – and
across all core vertical sectors.
The silo issue
Within the food & beverage industry, for
example, one of the largest global dairy
companies is standardising on a NiceLabel
LMS. Previously, they relied on a number of
different label printers, and continuous inkjet
printers (CIJ) at dairies around the world.
Each dairy would undertake its own type of
integration with the Manufacturing Execution
System (MES). There were also a number of
local IT companies providing integration
support for connecting the printers to the
MES. This resulted in escalating IT costs or
sometimes even unplanned downtime.
Some production lines had no integration
and the printers where operated standalone
with manual data entry. If a user typed in the
wrong best-before date, the item would ship
to, say, a large supermarket chain and it
would be rejected, and would be scrapped
because it was perishable.
Lost sales can naturally have a serious
effect on a company’s profitability. Even if
this amounts to just 1% of a company’s
turnover this could equate to millions of
Pounds. So the cost of LMS software is
completely irrelevant by comparison.
Therefore, the company decided to move
away from relying on many different printing
and labelling systems throughout their
dairies globally and standardise on one LMS
for all its labelling and marking
requirements. It initially approached some of
its existing providers of labelling and
marking solutions to come up with a
standardised solution, but this proved not to
be forthcoming, largely due to different
providers only being able to support their
own printing equipment.
Standardised integration
The remedy was for NiceLabel to share the
dairy company’s vision and develop
standardised drivers not just for its
labelling requirements but also for its direct
marking needs. This allowed the company
to benefit from having a single unified
solution with standardised integration with
the MES at each dairy to automate the
printing process. The company can now
provide all its dairies with this pre-built
integration. Also, because it’s a single
solution – rather than various different
methods of integration – the company can
provide its own centralised global 24/7
support. This results in significant
reductions in IT costs as well as a more
consistent, centralised means of support,
which results in less unplanned downtime,
which helps to secure a fast return on
investment (ROI). However, the really big
numbers are to be found in less rejected
product due to more accurate data entry.
Selling more
Another NiceLabel client within the food &
beverage sector is a Belgian bakery company
that sells freshly prepared sandwiches in its
stores. Because people need to queue to buy
their fresh sandwiches during busy periods,
the company wanted to find a way to sell
sandwiches pre-packed. However, when
sandwiches are pre-packed a label must be
put on the package in order to comply with
allergens and nutrition regulations. With
NiceLabel’s centralised web printing solution
managed at the company’s HQ, staff at all its
stores can now simply log in, access the
solution and print the labels out on-site. This
queue-busting advantage means the
company now sells more sandwiches.
Extended supply chain
Greater control and collaboration within the
extended supply chain is now more
important than ever. Take the retail sector,
&LOGISTICS www.logisticsit.com

www.logisticsit.com
for example. NiceLabel works with a number of retailers on
supplier labelling. In the case of a leading luxury goods retailer,
our LMS was initially deployed within a number of regional
warehouses, then to several manufacturing sites and has now
just been rolled out across the business. The next stage of
development for the retailer is to deploy the solution within its
branded shops so that labels and tags can be reprinted in store
so products don’t have to be sent back to the warehouse, which
could result in lost sales opportunities.
Brand protection
Also, from a brand consistency and brand protection
perspective, the retailer is now able to control suppliers’
labelling activity and to be able to stop production overruns by
building-in anti-counterfeiting RFID methodology that can be
controlled via the web.
[subhead] Quality or regulatory compliance
Any company that relies on a quality management system to
remain ISO 9001 compliant should consider LMS as it provides
similar quality controls and procedures for the entire labelling
process. Highly regulated industries such as life sciences
(medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical) require a
centralised, standardised labelling solution and it is critical in
order for these companies to remain compliant.
Regulatory requirements are very similar in both the medical
device and pharmaceutical sectors. In the US, for example, both
are regulated to 21 CFR Part 11, part of the Code of Federal
Regulations that establishes the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) regulations on electronic records and
electronic signatures (ERES). One of NiceLabel’s clients in this
area is pharmaceutical manufacturing company Krka, which
delivers medications to more than 70 countries worldwide. The
company has centralised and standardised its labelling
operations with NiceLabel’s LMS. The solution has improved
Krka’s master data management, streamlined compliance and
provided a next-generation system to support future growth.
Complete system
Labelling systems have moved away from being a ‘box’ to
becoming a complete business system offering greater agility
and empowering business users to streamline the whole
labelling process. It’s about not relying so much on IT; for
example, for making label change requests. We see this need
across all industries and among all sizes of company.
Companies want universal intelligent labels and the ability to
consolidate label variations. They also want to mitigate risk and
optimise processes by being able to seamlessly integrate with
the ERP’s or MES’s master data. NiceLabel is dedicated to
helping businesses to modernise and achieve significant
financial and productivity gains from their labelling process. We
call this ‘print productivity’.
Streamline your labeling
More than a million
companies use NiceLabel
technology to reduce
the complexity of
barcode labeling.
www.nicelabel.com
Find the solution that best meets your needs
Start producing professional labels without IT help.
Streamline label printing to control labour costs
and eliminate errors.
Standardize your entire labeling process to meet
quality requirements.

Mobile printers
B
usinesses are faced with more
and more complex supply
chain requirements, including
shorter delivery times, the
need for greater accuracy and
pressure to reduce costs. Companies need
to optimise their processes to prevent
disruptions that can lead to supply
shortages, financial losses and damage to
a company’s reputation.
One of the unsung productivity tools in the
supply chain is the mobile printer, which is
used for packaging and labeling of goods,
spare parts and shelves. Virtually every
product needs a label: during storage,
repackaging for short-term storage and
eventually shipment. These processes
involve a high potential for error if
distribution centre or manufacturing staff
have to pick up labels from a stationary
printer. To avoid duplication of work, they
may print the labels in groups and fix it to
the corresponding package. In this
method, they risk applying a label
incorrectly, which leads to delays in
processing or an error in the delivery.
Mobile printers can solve these challenges
and enhance operations in industrial and
warehouse environments considerably. By
attaching printers to vehicles such as
forklifts, they save valuable time and
reduce errors. Labels and receipts are
printed immediately and directly attached.
These mobile receipt and label printers
must meet high demands because the floor
of the manufacturing or distribution centre
– or on the loading dock – presents a
number of challenges such as confined
spaces and harsh environments. The
following tips and recommendations will
help operations managers select a mobile
printer that meets their needs.
Durable design
Fork trucks present a challenging work
environment for printers. The devices are
exposed to harsh conditions for long
periods of time. Printers must be able to
handle shock, vibration, high and low
temperatures and humidity throughout the
day. For these rigorous industrial
environments, the successful rugged
printers are the ones that are constructed
on a solid cast metal frame and protected
with metal die-cast covers.
Print in confined spaces
On the manufacturing or distribution centre
floor, space is incredibly valuable and the
smaller the printer, the less space it
occupies. Compact printers must have the
flexibility to be installed in a variety of
configurations on-site using additional
brackets and mounting plates. In addition
to the normal standing position, printers
may be installed vertically, on the wall or
even upside down.
Easy access to electrical power is
important. During space planning, owners
should consider placing a charging station
in a central location to avoid work
interruptions. With a voltage converter, a
mobile printer can be connected to the fork
truck’s battery. To avoid damage in this
configuration, mobile printers should offer
power spike and vibration detection.
Small but powerful
Users should also make sure that the
device is easy to use and powerful
enough to meet their needs. For example,
the new model of Honeywell’s MP

Compact printer weighs less than eight
pounds, making it easy to mount on
tables, walls or a mobile cart or forklift
truck. It supports higher media capacity to
reduce the frequency of reloading media
during a single shift, ultimately helping to
boost productivity. The Honeywell MP
Compact printers support large label rolls,
which are typically less expensive to
produce and thus cheaper to buy.
Ease of use
A user-friendly design is significant when
choosing a new printer. To prevent loss of
time when changing media, it is important
that the printer can be easily operated by
workers wearing leather or rubber gloves.
Look for a printer that allows fast reloading
by using a paper feeding form or a slot on
the side of the device. Ideally, rolls can be
changed without an employee having to
open any doors or removing covers. Parts
should be interchangeable and not require
special tools to replace. Finally, printers
should support quick and easy integration
into existing IT infrastructures.
Long-term thinking
When selecting printers, buyers prioritise
which devices offer the lowest possible
total cost of ownership, which includes
factoring in costs for service, repair and
spare parts. In some extreme cases,
certain printers may not have spare parts
readily available. Also important to
consider is having access to maintenance
service and support that is available
around the clock to fix defects quickly.
The following is a checklist that buyers
should consider for choosing the correct
mobile printer:
Printer type
• Compact, mobile printer solutions for
more flexibility in the supply chain.
• High print quality.
• Direct thermal and thermal transfer
printing.
Performance
• Option for processing wide label rolls.
• Larger rolls mean fewer changes and
interruptions of work.
• Connectivity to voltage onboard
industrial trucks.
Ruggedness
• Resistance to extreme temperatures,
moisture, drops, shocks and vibrations.
• Protective housing, such as cast metal.
• Additional brackets for multiple
mounting positions.
Intuitive operation
• Easy operation by workers with leather
or rubber gloves.
• Intuitive label feed.
Quick integration into existing IT
infrastructure
• WLAN (802.11 a / b / g / n) with WPA2
security protocol.
• Connectivity options: USB, serial
connection, Ethernet.
• Compatibility with common software.
Low total cost of ownership
• Availability of products and spare parts.
• Service and support options.

S
eiko Instruments USA Inc. (SII)
Thermal Printer Division, recently
launched a new mobile printer
line, the MP-A40 Series. The
printer offers a 100mm/second
print speed and is said to be able to
withstand multiple drops from up to 6.6 feet.
With up to a 4-inch paper width, and
weighing just a little more than 1.5 pounds,
the MP-A40 Series mobile printers are built
tough – but that doesn't mean they lack in
style or simplicity. With intuitive drop-in
paper loading and easy access button, the
printers offer a smart and robust design
that fits into the palm of your hand, or belt
clip; a small carry-on case offers the option
of over-the-shoulder transport.
Ergonomically designed
The MP-A40 Series mobile printers are
ergonomically designed to be used in
‘front-of-house’ verticals like retail and
hospitality, but also have the ruggedness
and strength for usage in areas such as
direct-store-delivery, warehousing and
logistics, field service, and public utilities.
Other important features of the new mobile
printer line include compatibility with the
latest operating systems, including
Windows 10, as well as SDK availability for
both Android and Windows CE print class
libraries for added mobility. The printer also
offers auto-detection Bluetooth interface
and Wi-Fi capabilities, providing added
value and easy transition from cable to
wireless communications.
"At a time when today's end users are
looking to further mobilize their business
processes, it was only natural that the MP-
A40 mobile printer line was designed with
these trends in mind," said Kaz Onishi, vice
president of Seiko Instruments USA. "In
addition, our partners are realising the
demand from their customers for this
technology, which is something that was at
top of mind during our research and
development process."
&LOGISTICS
www.logisticsit.com
Printing & Labelling Product News
T
o enhance and accelerate
sustainability commitments to
customers, employees and the
communities in which it operates,
Epson Europe has announced
that Henning Ohlsson, managing director for
Epson Deutschland, will also take on the new
role of Epson corporate social responsibility
(CSR) director for Europe, Middle East and
Russia (EMEAR).
Epson, provider of printing, wearable devices,
robotics and visual communications solutions
– comments that the appointment formalises
the company's long-standing commitment to
sustainability in Europe, building on a global
CSR track record that stretches back eight
decades to actions taken in the 1940s.
Epson's forward-thinking on the environment
is contained in its Environmental Vision 2050,
established in 2008 as a long-term guide for
environmental action, which includes the goal
of reducing CO2
emission by 90% across the
lifecycle of all of its products and services by
2050.
Sustainability Report
Ohlsson's appointment coincides with the
publication of Epson's Sustainability Report
2016, a new downloadable document
detailing the company's CSR actions in the
development of environmentally responsible
products, initiatives to develop its own
human resources with diverse values and
capabilities, steps taken to enhance
corporate governance and volunteer
programs launched in communities local to
Epson operations.
Rob Clark, senior vice president, Epson
Europe, said: "Bold sustainability actions
are our duty as a leading technology
manufacturer, considering the scale of the
environmental and social challenges that
the world faces. More than ever,
sustainability actions are also a business
imperative, helping us to deliver
differentiated value to our customers, retain
and attract the best talent in the industry,
and enhance the communities in which we
live. Henning's role in leading our CSR
initiatives across Europe is therefore critical
to our long-term success across the
region."
Ohlsson commented: "My role as CSR director
will include amplifying the environmental
benefits of our product range, ensuring our
regulatory compliance, and raising employee
awareness and engagement in local and
regional CSR initiatives. I'm proud to lead this
effort and to work for a company that takes its
environmental responsibilities so seriously."
Printing & Labelling Company News
Epson Europe appoints
Seiko Instruments

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Application-enabled printing
I
n the age of the Smart Phone, almost
everyone is familiar with ‘apps’- or
applications - in mainstream technology,
which allow users to take a standard
piece of equipment and adapt it with
software to easily configure a device that is
perfectly suited to the individual’s use.
Perhaps what is less well known or
considered however, are the huge benefits
that this technology holds for the business
world.
It should come as no surprise that the leading
printer manufacturers are now incorporating
this ability for end-users to customise their
product, giving the concept of customer
satisfaction a whole new meaning by helping
businesses streamline their printing
processes. In this paper, I will discuss how
Application-Enabled Printing technology is
offering manufacturing and logistics
environments sophisticated and flexible
solutions which are set to revolutionise the
way we do printing.
Businesses are always looking for ways to
work better and more efficiently, and one area
where major gains are possible – especially in
manufacturing and logistics – is printing. In
particular, the use of new intelligent printing
technologies to make the production of labels
and tags more flexible and cost-effective.
While businesses want label printing solutions
that are tailored to their individual needs and
work processes, too often they are offered a
standard non-intelligent package that either
does far more than they need and is complex
to install and maintain, or one that must be
laboriously built up from a kit of parts. The
result can be multiple labels where one would
suffice, plus wasted staff time and resource.
Smart Printing was one of the first
technologies to address these problems, and
it offered a partial solution. It allowed a printer
to be used stand-alone by making it
programmable and able to operate without
being attached to a PC. However, it had the
drawback that once programmed, the smart
printer became a single-purpose device until
it was taken back and reprogrammed, with all
the potential downtime it might entail. That
might be acceptable in some industries, but
not in more fast-moving areas that we find in
today’s era of e-commerce. To put it briefly, in
the world of manufacturing and logistics, one
size does not fit all.
Enter application-enabled printing (AEP), a
new generation of technology that leaps far
beyond the smart printer in capability. AEP
brings intelligent printing into the 21st century,
helping businesses get a grasp on their
printing processes. An application-enabled
printer not only has its own internal
processing power – so it can connect to other
devices such as weighing scales, a handheld
barcode scanner, or a keyboard, and it can
print without the need to connect to a PC –
but it is designed to be readily
reprogrammable. Unlike smart printers which
can only hold one program at a time, new
applications can be added to an existing
AEP, as you might add multiple apps to an
iPhone or Android smartphone.
For example, in a manufacturing and logistics
environment an app could be downloaded to
automatically calculate and print thaw and
use-by labels – relying on the printer's internal
real-time clock. Another app might use its
internal product and price database to
correctly calculate and clearly print mark-
down labels to clear older stock.
Not only does this mean that you could start
with a printer with one function, then add
others as the needs arise, it also means that
the printer can be customised to include
exactly the right set of applications for a given
purpose. The product more accurately fits the
user's needs, yet at the same time it also
means fewer components in the chain – fewer
devices to look after, fewer interconnections to
manage, and fewer things to go wrong.
It can also mean a simpler package that is
easier to understand. That is because it can
be easier to set up and tailor an AEP app for
a specific purpose than it would be to set up
a large PC-based software suite of which only
a few elements will actually be required. And
because AEP devices can be powered by
batteries, they can operate free of connection
to a PC and do not need a mains lead.
Printing can therefore be located where it is
required such as, on a trolley or a table in the
centre of a warehouse and away from any
power sockets, not where the infrastructure
dictates.
AEP devices are also designed to be user-
friendly. Some of the current models have a
mobile phone-type keyboard which will be
familiar to most users. Both the buttons and
the display screen are designed for ease of
use – the buttons are large and the screen is
wide. Future models could include a
smartphone-type touchscreen, too. Apps can
be downloaded to the AEP unit either using a

PC running a utility program, or loaded
directly as a package containing all the
necessary elements, such as a pricing
database. They can be loaded via a USB
cable, a wireless network (Wi-Fi) connection,
or on a memory card, with some AEP units
accepting the same SD-cards that are widely
used in digital cameras and other devices.
Programmable printing
So-called smart printers are not new, of
course: the ability to set a printer up and
then use it independently of a PC has been
around for many years. What has changed
now with the arrival of application-enabled
printing is the sophistication and flexibility
of those printers, and their ability to grow
with the customers, providing far greater
levels of investment protection.
The ease of programming has also
changed dramatically, mirroring the huge
advances that have taken place in
application development tools in recent
decades. Gone are the days of having to
write code in BASIC, and instead we look
for advanced scripting languages, and
development tools that abstract most of the
heavy lifting involved in creating new
applications. Called AEP Works, these app
development tools include a PC-based
printer simulator, enabling developers to
load new apps and test or demonstrate
them.
It also helps that the AEP is a system with
well-defined functional areas, unlike say an
Android or Apple smartphone which might
be called upon to be a telephone one
minute, a satnav the next, and a
videogame thereafter. Add advanced
programming tools to an AEP therefore,
and you have a system that allows new
applications to be created and deployed –
and subsequently updated – remarkably
easily.
A major benefit of being able to add
applications for the AEP is customisation,
with no need to buy an entire suite of
printing capabilities if you only need certain
specific ones. It allows an AEP to be set up
to exactly meet the user's needs by mixing
and matching from a standard set of apps,
either written by the manufacturer, or
bought in from other programmers,
appstore-style. If further customisation is
needed, existing apps can be modified or
new ones written to suit. AEP apps are also
able to run on multiple platforms, so there
is no need to redevelop apps if you
change or update your printer. Instead, an
app developed for the first generation AEP
units should also run on subsequent AEP-
capable devices, whether they are desktop
printers, mobile printers, or other print-
capable devices.
And of course if the manufacturer is not
sure yet what their needs will be, that does
not matter: they can choose an initial app
or set of apps to load now, then change
that mix or add more apps later on as their
use of the technology grows and as the
need arises. These capabilities are not
entirely free of effort, and some
programming skills are required to modify
AEP programs.
Today's implementation of application-
enabled printing is just the start. The same
concept will be implemented on multiple
classes of printers in the future, including
both mobile and desktop printers ranging
from low-end to high-end. All these devices
will be able to run the same AEP-
developed apps. It is also possible to run
the intelligence behind AEP on a separate
device, such as a smartphone or tablet
computer, and have it print to a mobile
printer, or even a suitably-equipped
desktop printer.
SATO’s NX Series
The NX Series printers features SATO’s AEP
technology, offering users a more flexible and
cost-effective option for the printing of labels
and tags. SATO’s NX Series printers are quick
and easy to install and maintain, all these help
reduce downtime and improve productivity.
For businesses which are often running 24/7,
reducing downtime is key to responding to
customer queries effectively while improving
operational efficiencies. Minimising costs
associated with maintenance can also go a
long way to improving the bottom line.
SATO’s CL4NX/CL6NX are plug-and-play
printers that are easy to set up, without
needing specialists to install them. They can
also can print immediately. Printers that have
been designed for parts to be replaced by
the users, without having to call in technicians
are also preferable. They are designed to
allow for fast parts replacements. ‘Wear parts’
such as print head and platen roller are quick
to replace with no tools needed, while help
videos are also available in the front display,
to aid with maintenance.
The SATO NX display reads in up to 31 global
languages and are intuitive and simple to
operate, reducing the time spent on staff
training. In addition, SATO’s NX family is
equipped with 100MB user accessible
memory allowing formats, large graphics and
custom fonts while delivering best-in-class
speed processing and fast throughput, which
is also essential when it comes to fulfilling
orders as fast as possible.

Logistics IT Software Drives Demand Planning

Logistics IT Software Drives Demand Planning

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