In a warehouse environment, things can easily fall into chaos when you have a disorganized space. Warehouse rack labels are important because they are the best way to ensure items don’t fall through the cracks. Warehouse labels make it easier to ensure everything is accurately accounted for and your warehouse, label bins, and storage areas stay organized.
For warehouse rack labels to be truly successful at keeping your inventory and assets organized, you need to make sure you choose the right labels and the right location. Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision:
Environment
There are three main environments that affect what types of warehouse labels you will need to buy. Each of these types of labels have their own qualities that make them the best option for certain environments:
Indoor storage
For dry, indoor environments, these labels adhere very well and can be attached to bins, placards, metal frames, and more.
Outdoor storage
This adhesive can survive different weather conditions like rain, humidity, wind, and some degree of temperature fluctuations.
Cold storage
These types of labels are incredibly durable and can withstand extreme temperatures like those found in industrial freezers.
Materials
Warehouse rack labels come in a wide variety of materials and adhesives to suit different applications. Some of the most popular types are:
Polyester rack labels
These are highly-readable labels that are last a long time. They are great for short-range indoor tracking and all types of indoor warehouse environments. These labels are available in permanent high-performance adhesive or removable versions for temporary applications. They can also be attached to foam tape and magnets for dry storage environments.
Retro reflective labels
Retro reflective labels are great for scanning long ranges because of their high visibility. These are best suited for indoor warehouse environments. The reflective nature makes it more visible to both scanners and the human eye.
Magnetic labels
These are best for temporary and adjustable applications. They are best suited for environments where they would adhere to metal surfaces and may need to be moved from place to place. They are easy to apply, re-position, and remove, and are great for short-range or indoor tracking.
Cover-up rack labels
These warehouse labels aren’t used for data collection and tracking so much as they are used to cover up old, outdated warehouse rack labels that have been placed on beams. Usually durable, and made with high-quality adhesive, these seamlessly apply over old labels so you don’t have to worry about cleaning, scraping, or painting over the beams.
Uses
Choosing the right warehouse rack labels that work best for your application requires an understanding of your needs. Do your labels need to be permanent or removable? Do they need to withstand harsh temperatures or do you only need them for dry indoor environments?
What about scan range? If you need overhead bulk storage labels for instance, you should be able to accommodate long-range scanning of 15-50 ft., and perhaps your labels need to be retro-reflective for better scanning. Shorter range scanning of 0-15 ft. can be used for most other labels that are placed in easy-to-read areas.
Also consider the surfaces your labels will need to adhere to (metal, glass, plastic, etc.) and the shapes of those surfaces (curved, flat, etc.). This will affect the type of adhesive you need.
Conclusion:
The right warehouse rack labels will boost productivity and overall efficiency, streamline operations, eliminate errors from manual data entry, increase visibility, and keep your operation organized. You will only realize the full benefits, however, if you know which labels to choose.
Informs, Inc. offers a variety of warehouse rack labels in assorted sizes, materials, and adhesives to suit the needs of any warehouse or distribution center. Still unsure about which labels are right for you? Contact the experts at Informs today!
Recent Comments