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Pharmacy Labels: Why You Need a Label Expert

The word “expert” gets tossed around a lot these days, especially by product and service providers looking to make a profit. It’s a claim that practically any company can make, but it’s a statement that doesn’t pass muster unless the company has the experience to back it up.

This is one type of expertise Shamrock Labels offers as a label provider for pharmacies. In addition to understanding the science of label performance, our 45+ years in business gives us experiential insight into which labeling solutions deliver the best performance for specific applications, including custom pharmacy labels. When you receive labels from us, your following areas of need are carefully considered, in addition to any areas that are unique to your requirements.

Printer Compatibility

Label quality begins with using labels that are designed for your printing system (inkjet, laser, thermal press, etc.) In some cases, we recommend deploying a different printing technology based on how the customer’s labels are used (for example, laser printing is better than thermal press for labels used in areas that receive sunlight or are unusually warm).

Label Size

Label size is important for two main reasons: legibility of printed information and the potential need to place more than one label on the same object. For example, you wouldn’t want prescription labels to have a font so small that it’s difficult to read, or to have dimensions that make it difficult to co-apply critical auxiliary labels correctly.

Facestock

The facestock of pharmacy labels plays a major role in maintaining the integrity of their print. Where one facestock performs well, another facestock can leave much to be desired. For example, thermal print doesn’t readily degrade in the presence of high moisture, but inkjet facestock does. Conversely, inkjet facestock is great for detailed, colorful print, whereas thermal facestock produces a single color and isn’t the most efficient option for printing graphics.

Liner

Label liner is the least discussed element of pharmacy labels, but it plays an important role in the automated labeling process, in which a machine applies labels to containers. The temporary adhesive between label and liner needs enough strength to keep labels on the sheet, while simultaneously making them easy for the machine to remove and apply to objects.

Adhesive

There are two basic types of adhesive: temporary, which keeps labels securely in place while making them easy to remove manually; and permanent, which fixes labels securely in place and makes them hard to remove manually. But there are different grades of adhesive strength, as well as application-specific formulations of adhesive, that should be considered before you place an order.

Supply and Demand

If you use a large volume of pharmacy labels, ordering them in bulk may deliver the best price point. By the same token, if you use a small volume of labels (or use a small number of a particular type of label), then taking advantage of our on-demand supply capacity, where we deliver your labels at the frequency you need them, may be the best option.

Contact Us Today

Pharmacy labels play a critical role in health outcomes. This is why it’s important to work with a label expert whose expertise entails the considerations above. Shamrock Labeling Systems offers this expertise to closed door pharmacies and retail pharmacies. To put our understanding and experience to work for your organization, call us today at (800) 323-0249, or fill out our contact form.

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