Fourth VIPColor inkjet printer for hardware supplier

California, USA-based VIPColor Technologies has supplied Linc Systems, of Westfield, Indiana, with a fourth VP485 inkjet printer. The new system will be used to print full color labels in runs from five up to 500 and enables the company to diversify and expand its activities in the retail sector. 

Linc Systems distributes collated and loose nails and staples for pneumatic tools and is the Midwest’s largest distributor of Stanley-Bostitch Fasteners. In 2009, the company moved away from selling directly to construction sites in order to focus on retail operations, such as lumber yards and hardware stores. In order to build business in this niche, the company needed to distinguish its service from that of its competitors and provide retail customers an option to develop private label fasteners.  

‘By creating private label products for our customers, we offer a fairly low-cost marketing option for their stores,’ said Craig West, director of the marking and coding division at Linc Systems. ‘This enables them to sell tubs of nails or other fasteners that carry details such as the store’s name, address and phone number.’ 

‘When we started initial testing with the VP485 and a leading competitor’s printer, it didn’t seem as if there was a big difference in the labels,’ said Jason Walden, technical support specialist. ‘However, when we put them side-by-side in blind tests with our employees, people would choose the labels printed by the VP485 every time. The labels just caught the eye and that’s exactly what we wanted to give our customers. Price was a consideration, but it wasn’t the deal breaker. The VP485 still finished ahead. We found it to be a lower cost system without compromising print or system quality. The printer works hard and can withstand industrial-level usage.’ 

During the comparison test, the two differentiators in the selection process were ink cartridge replacement and the size of label runs. ‘The VP485 has very low ink consumption and the ability to replace individual ink cartridges,’ said Walden. ‘With the competitive model, if we ran out of red during a label run, we’d have to change out all of the cartridges, regardless how much ink was left in the others. With the VP485, all we have to do is replace the red cartridge. Replacing a cartridge is as easy as snapping the empty one out and snapping a new one in place. We also appreciate the VP485’s ability to print various label sizes during one print run. So if one client wants two different size labels, it’s easy to print large labels first and then switch out to the smaller size label during the run.’ 

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