Warehouse technology
Choose a label printer based on volume and how long the label must last.
Freight labels and permanent warehouse labels have different needs.
Ordinary A4 printer
- Uses equipment the business may already own
- Suitable for low shipment volume
- Can print freight labels on paper or adhesive sheets
- May require cutting, folding or using part of a label sheet
- Becomes slow and wasteful as volume grows
Direct thermal printer
Direct thermal printers use heat-sensitive labels and don’t require ink, toner or a ribbon.
- Fast and simple for freight labels
- Low consumable complexity
- Well suited to labels with a short useful life
- Labels may fade with heat, sunlight, age or chemicals
- Often the best fit for normal shipping labels
Thermal transfer printer
Thermal transfer printers use a ribbon to create a more durable image.
- Better for long-life product, shelf, serial and asset labels
- Supports a wider range of label materials
- Useful where labels face moisture, heat, sunlight or abrasion
- Requires the right ribbon and label combination
- More consumables to manage
Desktop or industrial printer
- Desktop printers suit lower to moderate volume
- Industrial printers suit longer runs and demanding environments
- Print width, resolution, speed, connectivity and label roll capacity all matter
- Do not buy an industrial printer for a few labels a day
Use direct thermal for freight, and durable printing where the label must last
Tall Emu can generate the information. The printer should match the label's job.
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