A Brief History of Label Printing Technology
The short answer to the question posed in the main headline above is “yes”. It is difficult to think of a sector, sub-sector, industry or vertical that is not amply catered for, either by highly versatile or, in some cases, highly specialised modern label printers.
In the 1970s, everyday label printing (as opposed to product labelling carried out on high-end, expensive litho presses) was primarily black only, and limited to simple price labels, addresses, tickets and tags. Early printhead & label dimensions were also limited, as was the information carried on the labels, while ink and toner quality was uneven, prone to smudging, water damage and low durability in general.
Taking Off in the 80s, Ballistic in the 2000s!
From the 1980s however, progress was rapid, with ink and toner technology evolving at pace, with spot colours and then 4-colour printing realised by a number of players in an ever-expanding market of liquid and dry inks to suit laser and digital printing hardware. The increased sophistication of the printers themselves also increased ease of use and much higher print speeds in the following decades.
It was only in the early 21st century that colour inkjet printing truly came into its own, capturing an ever wider share of the label printing market. So yes, today’s label printer users are indeed spoiled for choice with access to a huge range of products for any eventuality produced by multiple OEMs from across the world.
Verticals & Markets
Applications for digital label printers are virtually endless across a diversity of verticals and markets in retail, food & beverage, chemicals, manufacturing, warehousing & logistics, ticketing, pharmaceutical & healthcare, cosmetics and many more.
While all of these markets are well catered for as mentioned above, it’s notable that many of the pioneers of the technologies involved still thrive today, supported by distributors who have evolved in tandem, a case in point being Epson and South African technologies distribution company, Kemtek, respectively.
Kemtek’s Catalogue of Epson ColorWorks Label Printer Products
Epson, as a pioneer in the area of digital label printers and an original equipment manufacturer of a wide range of these printers, from the C3000 Series through to the C8000 Series, along with consumables, that between them cover a long list of verticals.
Kemtek, an experienced principal OEM partner of long standing to Epson, distributes a broad range of such products through its extensive reseller network, such as:
The C3500, a high-speed inkjet colour label printer that prints a variety of labels, tickets or tags in-house at a low cost-per label, saving on outsourcing costs. Printing on-demand at up to 103mm p/s, it uses individual pigment ink cartridges and conforms with GHS international chemical label guidelines. C4000e is a compact 4-colour desktop label printer with easy-to-use features and flexible connectivity options. High-quality labels can be printed quickly and easily, and it’s ideal across a wide range of business and industry applications, with autocutter as standard.
The C6000 Series is a digital on-demand, 4-colour label printer range, designed to provide practical and creative solutions. Easy to use, it’s ideal for small & medium batch customers across sectors inclusive of food, chemical, beverage, manufacturing and more. Peeler-equipped (Pe) and autocutter (Ae) models are available.
The C7500 Series sets new standards for reliable, high-speed, high quality in-house colour label printing. The range includes the C7500 model, best for printing on matt media, and the C7500G for glossy media. These rugged printers are crammed with advanced technologies, including a PrecisionCore printhead, Nozzle Verification Technology (NVT) and more.
C8000e is a flagship colour inkjet label printer for high-volume enterprises with the need for in-house, on-demand high quality label production on an industrial scale. It boasts increased delivery speed and customisation capabilities and is easy to use and maintain – all paper loading, ink replacement and printing operations can be performed from one side. It also has the flexibility to print on a variety of media types, supporting print widths from 1 to 4 inches, at high speeds.
Kemtek Regionwide Backup
Backed by Kemtek’s expert technical support and nationwide reach, you can count on us for more than just hardware – we’re here to partner with you for long-term business success.
Great News for Resellers: Epson Label Printers 4U @Kemtek!
The Epson Label Printers 4U initiative is expressly designed by Kemtek’s technical & sales experts as a tool to leverage more opportunities for resellers and integrators specialising in digital label printer sales. This exciting programme is accessible across South Africa and other African regions for professionals like you and, as the name suggests, the benefits are fourfold:
1. It provides priceless product information and heads-ups about Epson’s ColorWorks products, as well as vertical/market-applicable videos and live demos at Kemtek Experience Centre.
2. You can use these tools to your advantage to update & enthuse your existing customers.
3. You can also use this info to engage with prospective clients and
4. You and your customers get to benefit from Kemtek’s established national sales & support network!
For more about Kemtek’s full range of ColorWorks Label Printers, click here
Reach Out to Us for Much More!
Get in touch with Kemtek as soon as possible for more about Epson Label Printers 4U and Epson ColorWorks products. Resellers can enquire about opportunities within South Africa & selected African markets. You can also book a product demo at the Kemtek Experience Centre. And if you’re not a Kemtek reseller yet, why wait?
Contact one these experienced Kemtek printing professionals now:
Email Quinten Dorman (Consumer Solutions Product Manager) at QuintenD@kemtek.co.za
or call 071 609 5416
Email Zea-dine Januarie (ColorWorks and LFP – Eastern Cape & KZ) at zeadinej@kemtek.co.za
Email Raj Bachulal (ColorWorks and LFP – Gauteng) at rajb@kemtek.co.za
Email Celest Wastie (ColorWorks and LFP – Western Cape) at celestw@kemtek.co.za
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