how to shorten your lead time with a good label machine manufacturer

Shorten Lead Time With An Expert Label Machine Manufacturer

How soon will your products be ready to leave the production line and ship out to retailers and customers? Good or bad, that answer ultimately depends on the components of your product line, from your workers to the labeling equipment you use.

Truth be told, your labeling equipment partner is your golden ticket to substantially shorter lead times, especially if they’re a Tier 1 label machine supplier with sizable access to resources and inventory.

Want a labeler up and running in half the time others say is even possible? Here’s how to do it and how to tell if your labeling equipment supplier can keep up with the speed you need to get the job done yesterday!

Supply Rules — What a Tier 1 Label Machine Manufacturer Delivers

Since a sizable labeling machine manufacturer moves large volumes of inventory, they wield a bigger stick when it comes to material suppliers.

That means that their needs  — and yours — are at the top of the suppliers’ to-do list. Momentum is contagious and helps your job get off and running with a label applicator applying labels on hundreds of products a minute.

At CTM Labeling Systems, we utilize a significant amount of ready-to-customize inventory unlike any competitor in the industry. This inventory significantly reduces our manufacturing timelines and is one of the biggest benefits of using a Tier 1 label machine supplier.

Established Core Units — How Your Label Applicator Could Shorten Your Lead Time

Established core units are labeling systems built right up to the point of unique customer customization. With an already established core unit, your labeling system is essentially halfway done before you even pick up the phone.

Many equipment manufacturers don’t start building a labeling system until the official order is received. Only after you’ve filled in all the specs will they even begin to crack a sweat, and by then your project is already weeks behind. It’s incredibly frustrating and one of the major reasons behind our significant amount of pre-built core units.

This inventory allows us to significantly reduce lead time, getting the final product in your hands within weeks.

A Warehouse of Vertical Storage — What It Means for Lead Time

We always encourage our customers to visit us in person and tour our facilities. One of the first things we show visitors is our vertical carousel storage and retrieval system.

When a specific item is needed for a build, the vertical storage unit is activated. Pans rotate to the appropriate item so that the operator can retrieve the part(s) and continue with the build process.

This streamlined process reduces a labeling machine’s build timeline by improving flexibility and efficiency, increasing storage capacity at our facilities and reducing inventory and labor costs.

Not All Tier 1 Suppliers Are the Same

The sad fact is that the labeling industry (like any other industry) is filled with companies who talk a great talk but fail to back it up with results. So, how can you tell if a labeling machine manufacturer can really deliver your system when they say they can?

Ask about their supply materials and inventory. Quiz them on established core units (if they even have any). Ask them about their manufacturing process and their engineering team.

Check to see if they have a label machine center on-site and ask about details and specifics; What’s their process like for engineering and building a labeling system? Do they build everything in-house or are they merely assembly agents?

Don’t leave any stone unturned, because the label machine manufacturer you work with to build your labeling system ultimately makes all the difference. They play a key role in harnessing momentum for your business — helping to not only keep up on order fulfillment but to also get ahead of it.

Partnering with an efficient, organized label machine manufacturer will significantly cut down on your lead time.

Reducing lead time is not only possible — it’s probable — with a Tier 1 labeling supplier who has trusted processes and equipment in place.

Check Out Our Guide For Slashing Lead Times

Want to slash lead times in half and onboard your new label applicator and labeling system in lightning time? Of course!

So, how do you take the next step toward building a trouble-free labeling system? Simple. Download our FREE GUIDE, “5 Strategies to Slash Lead Times” or contact us directly.

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