The key to uniform, standardised labelling for all of a company's suppliers lies in a cloud solution. Companies can store their labelling information centrally, control the entire labelling management process and extend it to suppliers via the web. One example is the web-based printing solution from NiceLabel, which is used successfully at Würth.
In today's competitive world, all business processes are being scrutinised. More and more manufacturing companies are also recognising the Necessity of the digital transformation of their labelling processes. Anyone who works with a large number of suppliers faces the challenge of having to deal with a wide variety of labelling standards. If each supplier has their own customised labelling system, the warehouse staff may even have to check the incoming products manually. However, items must be through the warehouse as quickly as possible. Outdated processes become a real problem when traceability has to be proven.
Application moves to the cloud
Modern labelling must be digitalised, standardised and integrated into the production systems. The answer to these requirements lies in the cloud solution. This labelling management guarantees a high printing speed at all times, regardless of the printer brand or technology of the supplier. It enables Consistent, brand-compliant labelling.
And it reduces the IT burden and security risks: With cloud-based supplier tagging, IT staff don't have to spend time granting suppliers access to internal infrastructure. This saves time and IT resources and protects systems and sensitive data from unauthorised access. Suppliers, in turn, always have access to the latest version of the label template; all they need is a user name, a password and an internet-enabled device. The cloud therefore enables immediate provision and a fast onboarding process.
Cloud solution: From old ...
Würth, one of the global market leaders in the distribution of fastening and assembly materials, was one of the companies struggling with typical labelling problems. The solution had been customised and consisted of a locally installed database, label design software and a label printing interface. Everything was updated manually using CDs. Every time there was a software update, Würth's IT department had to send new CDs to the suppliers. They were never really all on the same level. As a result, the company repeatedly received incorrectly labelled goods, which meant that the products had to be relabelled and shipping was delayed as a result.
... becomes new
The company therefore decided to switch to a centralised label management database in the cloud. As a solution, it could be made available to suppliers without additional IT installations or changes to their current printer models.
The aim was to Goods packed in Würth packaging and labelled with own labels so that they can be resold in their original packaging. NiceLabel's easy-to-use, web-based cloud solution also requires only a single user. Minimal effort for set-up and training of the suppliers. Today, 180 suppliers from 15 countries are involved in the standardised labelling process.
Labelling process on one platform
With the Label Management System (LMS), companies standardise the entire labelling process on a single platform. The solution includes a label designer with which the design can be implemented quickly and easily without any additional IT. The document management system is used for role-based access control. The user creates, checks, approves and controls labelling from a central document repository.
With the web printing system, manual printing can be provided and managed centrally with a single click. The integrated printing system makes the Integration in SAP or other (also mobile) systems possible. A change and transport system is also included. This increases printing efficiency and ensures the accuracy of the labels. It can be scaled from five to thousands of users and can also be extended to different sites, suppliers or contract manufacturers. With LMS, costs are reduced, time to market is reduced and profits are increased.
From manual updates to seamless web printing
The introduction of the web-based system has had a significant positive impact on the Flexibility from Würth. The company can react quickly if changes to the labels are required. The cloud solution provides a complete overview of which suppliers are accessing the system. It provides a complete print history. And it ensures that all users always print the correct version of each individual label.
[infotext icon]Today's manufacturing industry is highly competitive and more and more suppliers are willing to adopt the required labelling standards. For the manufacturer, a cloud solution means less time managing inventory and more time producing and shipping end products. The Increase in added value is the goal for everyone involved in a supply chain[/infotext].
