The versatile Epson ColorWorks C3500 four-colour label printer is an indispensable aid for professional, on-demand labelling at the Preiser small distillery Edelbrände Edelbrände from Stühlingen-Weizen. The technology, as well as the appropriate consumables, comes from Mediaform Informationssysteme GmbH.
The hobby of Roland Preiser and his son Andres is distillation. In 1997, the senior laid the foundations for his own distillery. Seven years later, the son followed in his footsteps. Since then, the two have been distilling high-proof spirits from fruit, herbs, nuts, wheat and, more recently, spelt and rye. In addition to the classic range of brandies and fine liqueurs, the range has also included whisky and gin for some time now - true to the maxim „Natural in a glass and enjoyment in nuances“.
The ingredients come from the region and for the most part from our own cultivation. They distil with a great deal of dedication, sufficient time and high quality standards. More than 80 awards and medals since 2008 show that this pays off, and the Preiser family is particularly proud to have been among the top ten distilleries last year in what is probably the world's largest award of its kind.
Bottling takes place in various distillate and liqueur bottles with filling quantities of 0.2 to 1.0 litres. Lovingly designed labels with the company name, address, sales description, alcohol content, filling quantity and batch number are affixed to the bottles.
Labelling is now a very simple matter
„We used to need around half an hour for this because the printer had to be loaded with A4 sheets, the labels had to be cut individually and then painstakingly stuck on by Rosi Preiser and myself,“ recalls distiller Christina Leutze. Today, the processes are simpler thanks to the modern labelling solution from Mediaform. Mediaform has more than 25 years of experience in developing customised recording and labelling solutions for customers from different sectors. The company supplies products as diverse as waterproof labels, handy industrial scanners and colour printers. Of course, comprehensive service and in-depth advice are also part of the offer.
The Preisers now use an Epson ColorWorks C3500 for in-house colour printing. It scores with a maximum print width of 104 millimetres and a print speed of up to 103 millimetres per second. The print is quick-drying and the information is smudge-proof, scratch-proof, waterproof, colourfast and heat-resistant. „This makes this compact inkjet printer the perfect support in our day-to-day work,“ says junior manager Andres Preiser happily. The distiller also appreciates „that the pigment ink cartridges can be replaced quickly and individually.“
Labelling by hand with perfectly coordinated materials
In Stühlingen, matt and glossy labels with the best adhesive properties are used. These are blank MARK labels from Mediaform on a 40 millimetre roll core with dimensions of 102 x 51 millimetres and 75 x 29 millimetres. Epson High Gloss labels in 102 x 76 millimetre format are also used for photo-quality imprints. „We depict the fruits or main ingredients for the corresponding product in colour on the labels so that consumers can immediately see what they are,“ explains Christina Leutze.
Together with Rosi Preiser, she sticks labels measuring 51 x 76 mm onto the small bottles with a capacity of 0.2 or 0.35 litres, and labels measuring 102 x 51 millimetres onto the 0.5 or 0.7 litre bottles. A cutter already integrated in the printer is used for the smaller format labels, while the larger labels are cut with guillotine shears and also applied manually.
With this solution, the small distillery is now able to design the label layout individually and independently in just a few minutes using the NiceLabel SE for Epson labelling software integrated directly into the printer. „Colour printing on demand simplifies and speeds up our workflow considerably. We are also flexible in terms of layout and can react quickly to current requirements,“ summarises the distiller. Consumables are also saved because individual labels can be printed on demand. „With the A4 sheets, we always had to waste an entire sheet, even if we only wanted to produce a single label.“
Coloured labels strengthen your own brand
Björn Weber, Head of Labelling Solutions at the Mediaform Group, knows that in addition to cost-effectiveness, efficiency and process reliability, marketing aspects are also playing an increasingly important role, even for the smallest businesses and manufacturers. „Coloured labels are the first choice today. They help manufacturing companies such as the Preiser small distillery to showcase the value of their products, strengthen their own brand and, of course, fully comply with legal labelling requirements. And all at a reasonable cost.“
Overall, the Preisers are highly satisfied with their convenient printing solution. The print quality and legibility of the data have been significantly improved and the colourfulness has maximised the attractiveness of the labels. Last but not least, the company also benefits from the financial advantages of purchasing standardised label material in larger quantities, as the labels are only printed in-house individually, as required and in colour in smaller runs.
