A unified approach Barcode labeling with contract manufacturers: Maintaining control and accuracy outside of your four walls. By Jenna Wagner
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anufacturers today are part of a global supply chain, sometimes specializing in one product or process and sometimes a product mix. In a vast supply chain made up of contract manufacturers, supplier networks, warehousing providers, and distribution specialists, barcode labeling is the common language allowing every link in the supply chain to work together. Companies who have a supplier network or multiple contract manufacturers understand that labels on incoming par ts or products must be accurate – especially for products being shipped directly to regional distribution centers versus a central warehouse. Labeling is a critical component of an efficient supply chain, and a unified labeling system can have a big impact on overall efficiency and your bottom line. First, let’s discuss what an inconsistent or outdated labeling system looks like. Companies without a unified labeling system for their contract manufacturers are likely managing a hodgepodge of label files, data, and software. Here are three scenarios commonly seen: • Some companies resort to simply sharing label files or data via email to their many contract manufacturers for printing. When labels are updated or changed, the files must be manually re-sent. Not only is this time consuming, but it also opens the door to human error and the risk of using outdated data. • Other companies might be managing a mismatched software
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environment, leveraging different brands of labeling software with each contract manufacturer. This is often the case when a labeling environment has grown over the years without much strategic direction. • Some companies are using their own custom-developed labeling system. While custom-developed software starts out as the perfect fit, it can be difficult and expensive to keep it compatible with modern technology. All the above labeling scenarios can lead to inaccurately labeled products or components, resulting in expensive and unnecessary supply chain bottlenecks. Specifically for the last scenario, once you start to think of longterm scalability, custom software development, systems integration, services costs, and maintaining that custom-built software solution over time, custom-developed labeling systems start to become a less attractive option. An alternative is commercial off-the-shelf software solutions that include numerous optional feature sets, making the addition and removal of certain functionalities as easy as checking a box. Off-the-shelf labeling solutions can meet your requirements at a fraction of the cost and come fully loaded with forward compatibility for seamless upgrades. Plus, it’s common for software companies to develop requested functionality for a customer, then include it in the next version release of the software for all end users to leverage.
