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home  labeling systems packer faq |
Durand-Wayland is proud to introduce the future in produce labeling technology.
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| Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Fruit & Vegetable Packing Houses |
- Does etching the skin of the fruit reduce shelf life?
Not at all. In experiments conducted at numerous packing houses, using dozens of types of produce, the Natural Light Labeling System has been proven not to reduce shelf life at all. It also does not deform the fruit in any way. In fact, if you run your finger across an etched label, you will not be able to feel it at all.
- How does it work?
The Natural Light Labeling System concentrates a beam of light, much like a magnifying glass concentrates the sun’s rays. However, since our machine uses laser technology, the concentrated light is much more precisely controlled, as it is in eye surgery. A narrow layer of pigment is removed from the outer skin, revealing the layer underneath, usually white in color. Since this white color normally contrasts well with the outer skin color, a legible label is created.
- What percentage of the produce receives a label?
For most produce, and most applications, it is well over 99 per cent. Factors that cause difficulty in labeling are extremely wet or heavily waxed fruit, and errors caused by malfunctioning sizers or photo eyes. A properly adjusted and installed machine will label millions of pieces of fruit without error and without problems.
- Are there any consumables or inventory to keep?
No. Once you install a Durand-Wayland Natural Light Labeling System, you will not be obligated to buy any consumables from us.
- How much energy does the machine use?
Approximately 100W, the same as a bright incandescent bulb in your home. Ask your label machine representative how much energy his machines use. Don’t forget to include the costs of compressed air.
- How is my choice of a labeling system impacted by Country of Origin Label requirements?
As you know, Congress has required that all produce sold in the United States have a label identifying its country of origin no later than October, 2006. You have one year to come into compliance. That means, if you repack imported produce, you either need to make sure they’ve been properly labeled (and the label has remained attached) or you have to have a set of labels with all the import PLU’s for each country. With the Natural Light Labeling System, you merely program another set of information using the keyboard attached to it, and away you go.
- What limitations does the machine have?
Some produce, such as lemons and watermelons, require the addition of a food grade coloring after etching. This will add about 5% to the initial cost of the machine, in addition to the cost of an air knife and the food coloring. Heavily waxed or very wet fruit do not etch very well. The etching is dot matrix, and resolution is not adequate to print some complex logos. Multiple colors are not yet available.
- Will my customers buy etched fruit?
Consumer surveys show that people prefer etched fruit to labeled fruit. Durand-Wayland, Inc. is working hard to inform the public and retail produce sellers about the advantages of etched fruit. We also work directly with packing houses and their customers to ensure that there are colorful point of sale displays and other consumer education materials available to help market etched fruit.
- Doesn’t it require a significant capital investment?
No. With lease programs beginning as low as $1000 per month per lane, you can enjoy cost savings from the very beginning.
- Is the machine hard to use?
No. It will require some training, but the machine is no harder to use than a labeling machine.
- I have a small packing house dedicated to organics. Does the Natural Light Labeling System represent a cost savings to me?
For most packing houses, the Natural Light Labeling System represents a savings over adhesive labels. Since the incremental cost of etching produce is practically zero, that savings increases with volume, and it may be that your present volumes are not large enough to realize an actual savings in cost.
However, retailers are telling us that customers have a bad habit of removing labels from organic produce and passing them off as standard ones at the checkout counter. This depresses the price of organics at the wholesale level because all of the value of organic cannot be captured at the retail level. Since etched fruit is permanently marked, this problem is eliminated. This may allow you to raise prices enough to justify the machine from a cost perspective.
Another alternative might be to pack other growers' organics, something that otherwise might not be feasible with an adhesive labeling machine because of the necessary inventory and capital equipment investment. Again, because of the low incremental costs of the etching machine, you would find this to be a profit center and an opportunity to grow your business.
Of course, we believe the Natural Light Labeling System has more value than any adhesive label system because of its other advantages: 100% adhesion, consumer preference, easy PLU changeover, less downtime, and more sanitary machines.
- Why do I care if the machine is backed by Durand-Wayland?
For more than seventy years, packing house managers and owners have been relying upon the Durand-Wayland name as their assurance of quality and top notch service after the sale. Not only will you find Durand-Wayland equipment in nearly every fruit packing country of the world, but when you have a problem we go the extra mile to solve it. We still care for our customers in a way that is the mark of a family run business.
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