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Help us all (square bottles)


indyspirits

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Our marketing company has recommended square bottles. Currently we use two Bottlematic II labelers which, for our slightly tapered and cylindrical bottles works amazingly well.  Looking for sage advice for handling / labeling / packaging square bottles.  Neither "hand label" nor "dont do it" are options.  😕

 

 

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46 minutes ago, indyspirits said:

Looking for sage advice for handling / labeling / packaging square bottles.

In a former life I designed and built label applicators.  Is this to be an automatic system for filling, labeling (1 side, 3 sides, 4 sides) and cartoning?  Describe what your work flow should look like.

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2 minutes ago, Thatch said:

Describe what your work flow should look like.

Oh boy... I honestly don't know. Our marketing vp called me this morning saying that our contracted design firm "may be recommending square bottles".  My guess is that it will be a front/back - 2 sides label.  I just want to apply the label with bottlematic-2-esque labeling and go from there. 

 

 

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We sell Ferrinox labelers with a square bottle upgrade. It's basically a tray with a pneumatic cylinder that pushes the square bottle through at a controlled rate to apply the label evenly. You can use the same labeler to do rounds or squares by just removing the pneumatic tray.

https://store.tcwequipment.com/products/eko-10-labeler

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1 hour ago, indyspirits said:

My guess is that it will be a front/back - 2 sides label.  I just want to apply the label with bottlematic-2-esque labeling and go from there. 

Okay, I think you mean a front and a back label.  You could use something simple like the Primera AP550 and have your label manufacturer alternate your back and front label so that you simply turn the bottle over to apply the back label.

 

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55 minutes ago, indyspirits said:

The thought of doing that for 300 cases a day fill me with dread. 

Then I have misunderstood.  Apparently you want to put all your labels on simultaneously, is that correct?  Is this two labels or 4 labels?   Again, just tell me what you want to do, there is likely an applicator that will do it. 

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9 hours ago, Thatch said:

 Again, just tell me what you want to do, there is likely an applicator that will do it. 

Let's say I have bottle with a square / rectangular cross section. I need to be able to apply a label to the front and the back in at the same rate as I can do with my bottlematic-ii labeler... about 12 / minute.  Our labels are printed on a roll with a 3" core where the front and back labels are printed on the same roll.  In short we want to do this with square bottles:

 

 

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18 hours ago, indyspirits said:

Don't I wish I could.  I do so love the worlds where production and marketing collide. 

Well keep in mind, you can always present the cost difference to the decision makers. Let them know that in addition to the cost differences in packaging materials, that there is also the cost of the new machine(s) and the estimated labor rate per case vs. what you are doing now. 

Like I said, we considered it, but basically the option was 300 boxes an hour on our existing equipment for round bottles or 75 boxes an hour (or less) with a manual solution. That's about 4 times the labor cost, with everything else remaining the same. That won't mean much to marketing, but it should mean something to your decision makers. Our situation is an extreme example, but you might be surprised.

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7 hours ago, indyspirits said:

Let's say I have bottle with a square / rectangular cross section. I need to be able to apply a label to the front and the back in at the same rate as I can do with my bottlematic-ii labeler... about 12 / minute.  Our labels are printed on a roll with a 3" core where the front and back labels are printed on the same roll.  In short we want to do this with square bottles:

Sorry, I cannot come up with a way to keep the speed you need without doing two labelers.  This would also require you having your back and front labels on separate cores.  Like this:

 

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1 hour ago, Thatch said:

Sorry, I cannot come up with a way to keep the speed you need without doing two labelers.  This would also require you having your back and front labels on separate cores. 

ooooooh! Im interested. I only meant currently front & back are on the same core. It would be trivial to have them on separate rolls.  How do I learn more??

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Most applicator manufacturers make what you need.  The best starting point is your current label supplier if they are local.  Most pressure sensitive label suppliers sell, install and service applicators.  If your guy is clueless, let me know and I'll provide a list of names.  Send them the video, it explains what you need.

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20 minutes ago, Thatch said:

If your guy is clueless, let me know and I'll provide a list of name

They're clueless, rather, they're solely a printshop with no equipment ties.

 

 

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Bid-on-equipment.com has hundreds of used app!icators.  There should be a front back amongst them.  They don't really wearout.  I'll send you a list for who makes new this evening

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This is a fantastic price from a good company (Label-aire)  that you would likely be able to get service from.  This looks like it might meet your needs.  Plus it's in Kentucky which is reasonably close in you.

https://www.bid-on-equipment.com/packaging/used-label-printing-equipment/101142~label-aire-2115st-pressure-sensitive-labeler.htm

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Here are the names I would recommend you check for new equipment.

Quadrel Ohio, CTM Ohio, LSI New Jersey, New Jersey Machine New Hampshire, Label-aire California

There are many others but the ones I have listed have been around for over 20 years each and have always built solid equipment that needs little service.  They all sell through a dealer network which are generally marking systems companies and pressure sensitive label converters.  

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  • 2 months later...
On 3/12/2019 at 2:20 PM, Thatch said:

Okay, I think you mean a front and a back label.  You could use something simple like the Primera AP550 and have your label manufacturer alternate your back and front label so that you simply turn the bottle over to apply the back label.

 

I have 2 - 550's

I really really like them.

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