Colordyne, NAStar partner for retail shelf tags

Colordyne Technologies and NAStar have partnered to provide a new, lower cost option said to simplify the process of producing and implementing retail shelf tags.

Combining Colordyne's digital printing expertise with NAStar's adhesives and materials, this partnership allows for a roll of TwoFer Shelf Tag material to be converted to duplex printed and finished tags in planogram order in a single pass

Retail shelf tags, also called shelf talkers, are largely used for in-store promotions at grocery, drug, hardware and convenience stores. Retail shelf tags use a unique label that adheres to the shelf in front each item identifying its name, quantity, SKU and specific promotion, among other information. These promotions change frequently, often on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.

Combining Colordyne's digital printing expertise with NAStar's adhesives and materials, this partnership allows for a roll of TwoFer Shelf Tag material to be converted to duplex printed and finished tags in planogram order in a single pass.

NAStar’s patented TwoFer Shelf Tags are back-to-back shelf tags without a liner that instead use an alternating adhesive and release coated pattern. Users can easily pull apart TwoFer Shelf Tags from one another, doubling the label quantity per sheet of material while eliminating liner waste. These shelf tags are compatible with all shelf talker formats and adhere to most plastic, metal, refrigerated glass and freezer shelving. The tags come off cleanly and can be reapplied when desired.

The digital print system, a tailor-made version of Colordyne's 3600 Series UV - Rotary Pro, consists of two in-line UV inkjet print engines. This provides duplex print capabilities, printing on both the front and back sides of the material in one pass, on the double-sided material. Printed tags are then finished with in-line slitting, die-cutting and shingling to create custom, back-to-back shelf tags ready for easy in-store application according to unique planograms.

Taylor Buckthorpe, vice president of sales and marketing at Colordyne Technologies, said: ‘With the short run, variable data capabilities needed for this type of application, digital print is the only economical solution. Our partnership with NAStar allows us to be the one-stop shop for in-plant shelf tag production.

‘Its economically and environmentally responsible, silicone liner-free TwoFer Shelf Tag material coupled with our affordable digital technology will save almost any in-plant production valuable time and money.’

John Short, marketing director at NAStar, adde: ‘It's essentially two tags for the price of one compared to traditional, linered shelf tags.

‘With the currently limited purchasing options for shelf tags, we decided to create an alternative to outsourcing labels or performing a costly, multi-step process in-plant. We saw an industry need for TwoFer Shelf Tags and have worked closely with Colordyne to ensure we can deliver a successful, all-in-one solution to our customers.’

Colordyne and NAStar are working together with top North American retailers and anticipate installations prior to the end of 2018.

Short continued: ‘There's little else a retailer can save more money on than printing their own shelf tags. Bringing the production in house allows the retailer to control the entire process and with the cost savings the TwoFer Shelf Tag allows, the return on investment for the equipment is drastically expedited.’

Buckthorpe concluded: ‘Together, we've developed a single-pass shelf tag production system that gives twice the throughput on material reducing labor time in-store and eliminating liner waste. This is the only all-in-one solution of its kind on the market and we are excited to demonstrate the cost savings of this system.’