Label Logic:
Another Elkhart
story come true
A label is a pretty simple product: one
side informational, one side sticky.
But, of course, that’s not how it’s done
in Elkhart. It’s about customer satisfaction,
on-time delivery, and the development
of new technology. It’s about production
above promotion, as the service sells itself.
It’s about unbelievable success – to the tune
of $10 million in 2013, another year of
nearly 30 percent growth.
Jeff and Karen Cripe are proud of
what they’ve created at Label Logic, the
Greater Elkhart Chamber’s 2013 Business
of the Year. They’re also proud to be in
Elkhart, even as they maintain clients with
worldwide reputations.
“The biggest thing is to never give
up on your dream. Get a business plan
together, go to the bank and sell it – if
the bank says no, go back and work on
it some more and take it to them again,”
Karen Cripe says. And Jeff Cripe quickly
adds, “It’s about strength of mind. Believe
in what you’re doing and drive your idea
forward. Twenty
years later, look at
us. Look at where
we are.”
Label Logic
started in the Cripes’
garage, printing bar codes for baked goods
and dairy products. Orders picked up,
equipment became more sophisticated, and
more space was needed. Today, on Pine
Creek Road, they’ve recently expanded the
production and warehouse areas and are
looking to possibly open a second facility
to meet demands.
Jeff Cripe attributes success to going
above and beyond for customers. Unlike
competitors, he says, Label Logic will store
preprints for clients to allow for same-day
shipping on orders. The idea is to provide
ultimate customer satisfaction, but it also
allows production a better opportunity to
schedule prints instead of scrambling to fill
orders.
Product development also is key,
says Karen Cripe. Label Logic is moving
beyond print materials and is preparing to
become just the fourth American company
to launch RFID services for electronic
product codes. After all, labeling is not
just for retail shelves – Karen Cripe says
meat producers use tags to track carcasses
through processing to satisfy U.S. Food
and Drug Administration inspectors.
“It’s all about how you put yourself
above your competitors. We don’t do a lot
of advertising – we benefit most from a
lot of networking. Companies will contact
us saying they saw our tags,” Karen Cripe
says.
Label Logic was founded in 1997 and
currently has 48 employees. For more
information, visit label-logic.com.