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Innovative labels save time and money
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Akron, Ohio, part of the larger Cleveland metro area, has many claims to fame: it was once “the rubber capital of the world.” It played host to the first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, and produced the first space suits, auto tires and breakfast cereal. Today, however, the region can boast a new clever invention and a continuation of the rubber tradition: the Paragon Data Batch Labeling System.
The labels appear to be fairly straightforward pressure sensitive labels with a barcode. Upon closer inspection, these labels, which are stuck on bags of chemicals to make rubber, are anything but simple. The labels and bags are made of the same substance, which disintegrates at 160F to become part of the rubber recipe. The labels are made by thermal transfer printers with a special ink ribbon, and the adhesive is specially formulated to cling to bags coated with a nonstick slip agent. The technology is unique to Paragon Data Systems.
In many manufacturing plants, says David Safenovitz, Paragon Data Systems’ president, batch inclusion bags are often mislabeled, missing, smeared or illegible. In this instance, the bags were originally labeled by hand with a marker. But a batch can be ruined, losing time, money and materials by the wrong ingredients or a paper label. Hundreds of the bags are used in an average day.
“We tried a number of different adhesives, printing and perfing techniques, die cut labels—everything,” Safenovitz says. Eight years ago, a batch bag company owner, who is a neighbor of Safenovitz’s parents, casually approached him with the problem. Paragon took the challenge, which led to the new labels.
“It’s a somewhat expensive product,” Safenovitz admits. “But, this is the most common application of labels in the entire rubber industry—every single rubber plant on the planet can use this technology.”
The time saved and waste eliminated by a proper labeling system, however, makes finding that solution absolutely necessary. Additionally, Safenovitz says, using Paragon’s experience to add barcoding has helped the manufacturing facilities keep track of the chemicals and created chains of custody and responsibility for inaccurate recipes.
—Rebecca Trela
