Print.IT - issue 50

34 PRINT.IT 01732 759725 LABEL PRINTERS Polestar Cooling manufactures a range of refrigeration equipment at a 2,000 square-foot facility in Bognor Regis. Designed mainly for scientific, medical and industrial use, but also for water testing, incubation, catering and marine- based applications, its devices are built to operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 50°C. All devices made at the factory – standard and custom-built – are labelled on the inside and outside so that customers can quickly find important information, such as a fridge’s weight, model number and refrigerant type, as well as its packing and build details. Polestar prides itself on the quality of its manufacturing and was concerned that the labelling system it used was failing to meet its high standards, as Production Manager Dave Butfield explains. “We found that the labels were fading in sunlight after a relatively short time and that they were coming away from the refrigerators due to poor adhesion. There were also problems with the software that came with our printers, which resulted in missing data. This was unacceptable,” he said. When Ryan Price, printer area Store openings a doddle with Zebra The deployment of mobile technology from Zebra Technologies is helping click & collect specialist Doddle Parcel Services achieve its ambition to double in size by the end of 2018. Doddle Parcel Services, used by over 100 online and High Street retailers, provides a network of outlets where shoppers can collect and return online purchases as an alternative to home deliveries. It currently has 500 outlets across the UK, in railway stations, shopping centres, supermarkets, retail stores and charity shops, and plans to increase that number to more than 1,000 by Christmas. A key element of Doddle’s roll-out strategy is the use of wireless devices from Zebra Technologies to track parcels from arrival to collection, to notify customers and, when necessary, to print address labels and other documentation. The use of Zebra TC70/ TC51 handheld computers loaded with Doddle’s own software and GK420D desktop label printers instead of fixed Point of Sale (PoS) systems has cut IT capital expenditure by 50% and slashed the time it takes Doddle to open a new location from days to a matter of hours. It also saves space, enabling Doddle to reduce the size of its collection points to as little 78 square feet, and, because the TC70 and TC51 mobile computers are so intuitive, Doddle employees and staff in concession partners, such as Cancer Research UK and Morrisons, require minimal training. www.zebra.com manager at Premier Office, called, he was quickly able to appraise the situation and recommend a solution. “Having contacted Dave and listened to his concerns, it was obvious that his existing print infrastructure was not up to the job,” explained Price. “As a Toshiba TEC authorised supplier, I have seen first-hand how the company’s B-FV4 desktop printer series has benefitted a number of our industrial and commercial customers, and I was certain that it would be the perfect solution to Dave’s printing issues too.” Stylish, robust and powerful, the B-FV4 desktop printer utilises both direct thermal and thermal transfer technology and comes with USB memory support, a choice of interfaces and connectivity options as standard. It is also easy to maintain, with drop-in paper-loading for quick media changes and a snap- in printhead and platen assembly for consumables upgrades. Other features include a print speed of six inches per second, support for labels up to four inches wide, the option of a long-lasting 300m ribbon and bundled NiceLabel next generation labelling software, which Price helped to set up. “Having Ryan on hand to make sure that everything was up and running as it should be was an enormous bonus,” explained Butfield. “The system is programmed to print three sizes of black and white label – 62x40mm, 62x70mm and 62x140mm. We can also print company logos on the labels if necessary.” When it comes to quality, customer feedback and Polestar’s own testing leave Butfield in no doubt that he has picked a winner. “We have carried out extensive testing on the labels, in a variety of conditions, such as 90% humidity, sunlight and sub-zero temperatures. We have also exposed them to polish, white spirit, soapy water and an alcohol solution to check whether they could withstand general cleaning. Even after the rigours of this process, the labels are still highly legible, and we’ve had nothing but positive feedback from our customers,” he said. “The Toshiba TEC B-FV4 has made a big difference to Polestar Cooling and I couldn’t be happier with the results.” www.toshibatec.co.uk Polestar Cooling, a manufacturer of refrigeration equipment for scientific, medical and industrial purposes, turned to Toshiba label printers when its previous supplier’s output wasn’t able to cope with the harsh environments in which Polestar products are used. Degrees better Polestar Cooling’s range includes solar- powered vaccine refrigerators that can operate for 72 hours between charges