Cold Link Africa November / December 2019 | Page 31

FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
rack labels that curl, peel or fall following a
do-it-yourself installation project.
AVOID THESE ISSUES ON YOUR NEXT
LABEL INSTALLATION PROJECT:
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WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR
ENVIRONMENT?
Choosing the right labels for your cold
storage warehouse environment can seem
like a daunting task. ID Label has extensive
experience working with many of the
leading cold storage warehouse operators.
We’ll walk you through your options and
custom manufacture the best solution.
REASONS WAREHOUSE RACK LABELS
CAN LOSE ADHESION
Properly and safely installing rack labels
on warehouse beams is a task best left
to professionals. “It typically requires
specialised equipment, detailed planning
and careful preparation to avoid any
issues or errors,” says Brian Blair, ID Label’s
manager of installation services.
Nonetheless, there may be times – such
as relabelling a section of racking – when
managers opt to perform the installation
in-house with your own warehouse
personnel. To help you avoid any
installation issues, we put together this short
primer on the key factors that can lead to
COLD LINK AFRICA •
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November/December 2019
Dusty, dirty or grimy beams: “Dirt
and dust can quickly accumulate
during rack storage and installation,
which can significantly diminish a
label’s adhesive values,” Blair says. If
the back of a peeling label is dotted
with dirt, it likely means the beam
wasn’t wiped clean prior to applying
the labels. “It’s best to wipe down
the surface with a clean, damp rag
and some isopropyl alcohol. This
cleans the surface and removes
any moisture to ensure optimal
adhesion.”
Beams were treated with improper
chemicals or solutions: Cleaning
solutions must be free of oils or
citric acids. “Harsh chemicals and
detergents do not interact well with
some label adhesives,” Blair said. He
cited an instance in which workers
treated beams with an oily polish prior
to labelling and assumed the label’s
adhesive had failed.
Paint outgassing: Newly painted
beams can emit fumes (outgassing)
for several weeks, which can diminish
the adhesive values of some label
constructions.
Magnetic rack labels are durable, scan
reliably and are easy to install and move
– especially in live facilities where the
temperature has been reduced. While
magnet warehouse labels are typically
more costly than adhesive rack labels, they
offer a higher return on investment.
The shift to e-commerce grocery shopping will require bigger storage facilities.
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Moisture: Humid conditions create
condensation on warehouse beams.
Labels applied in this environment
can easily curl, crinkle, peel or fall off
the beams. As noted above, wiping
beams with isopropyl alcohol helps
to wick away moisture and prepare
the surface for labelling.
Application over layers of old labels:
“Scraping off old labels is time-
consuming,” Blair says. “But simply
applying new labels over multiple old
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ones is a recipe for inaccurate scans
and labels that curl and peel.” ID
Label’s Beam Renew™ is an excellent
solution for easy beam relabelling.
Wrong label construction for operating
environment: “If you’ve got a freezer
environment, for instance, it’s critical
to use an adhesive specified for those
temperatures,” Blair says. “Even if you’re
using the right freezer label, it might
require installation in an ambient setting
before the temperature draw down.”
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