2 Labeling Solutions to Ensure Warehouse Inventory Location Flexibility

E-commerce sales and omni-channel fulfillment operations have led to a huge increase in SKUs and inventory volumes in warehouses and distribution centers across North America. This explosion may be putting pressure on your product inventory and location management processes.

Keeping Pace with Identification Labels

“In today’s environment, warehouse storage racking is more likely to need new identification labels as items are shifted to accommodate changes in product velocity, promotions and seasonality,” said Gregg Schiltz, ID Label’s chief operating officer. “It can be a real challenge for DC managers to continually maximize their inventory throughput and operational efficiencies.”

Rack relabeling is becoming a more frequent activity within these operations, whether driven by product inventory fluctuations, pick location changes, an upgrade to your warehouse management system or a tenant change for a third-party logistics fulfillment provider.

“We’re seeing growing demand for barcode labeling solutions that can accommodate our customers’ needs for rack location identification flexibility,” Schiltz said.

He recommended two ID Label products for companies that desire greater labeling flexibility.

Eco Beam Renew™ Rack Cover-Up

In existing facilities, dealing with in-place barcode labels on the beam faces is a challenge.

“These labels may be damaged, partially missing or peeling off,” Schiltz said. “It’s time consuming and unproductive to have your workers scrape off old labels and treating beam with cleaning solutions to get them prepared for new warehouse labels.”

Applying basic paper barcode labels on top of the existing ones is not a recommended option – and certainly not a long-term solution. Not only is this aesthetically unattractive, if there’s any show-through or an uneven surface beneath the new label, it can lead to scan errors and lost productivity.

“Our new Eco Beam Renew™ product works as both a cover-up solution and an easy-release label holder,” Schiltz said. “With its durable construction, it easily applies directly over old warehouse beams and barcode labels without the time and expense of cleaning, scraping or painting. Plus, it features a metalized, opaque backing to eliminate any show-through of old labels.”

With Eco Beam Renew’s quick-release top coating, it’s easy to relabel your racks the next time you need to accommodate changes in your product inventory.

Eco Beam Renew is manufactured without a liner backing, which eliminates excess environmental waste, is faster and easier to apply, and reduces potential for slip-and-fall injuries from discarded liners laying on warehouse floors.

Clean Release™ Repositionable Label

For new racking systems, consider starting with a preprinted, repositionable barcode label. A removable/repositionable label makes it easy to relabel rack locations in the future. They are simple to install and offer location flexibility, without any need for scraping or cleaning to remove them.

“Our Clean Release™ removable label features an advanced adhesive that adheres tightly to virtually any surface but is easily removable without a hint of adhesive residue left behind,” Schiltz said. “It was designed with today’s smart warehouse in mind, where speed, efficiency and inventory location flexibility are top priorities. We’re seeing tremendous interest in this solution from a broad range of our customers.”

As with other ID Label options, Clean Release labels can be manufactured in a variety of sizes and materials with multicolor designs.

Warehouse Labeling Flexibility

These are two viable, cost-effective solutions for operations seeing growth in their volume of SKUs and experiencing frequent changes to pick locations and inventory locations as a result.

“Other options like magnetic barcode labels are also worth considering, especially for cooler/freezer storage environments,” Schiltz said.

Efficiency. Automation. Speed.

It’s clear that increasing demand for faster merchandise delivery, fueled by e-commerce, is redefining how the supply chain distributes consumer goods and products—and how warehouses and DCs must operate.

To discuss your requirements for an upcoming project or to request label samples, contact ID Label today.