Blog

6 Reasons Why Breweries Use Our Beer Labeling Equipment

6 Reasons Why Breweries Use Our Beer Labeling Equipment

 

What REALLY matters when you’re buying a labeler for your microbrew?

When you started brewing beer, did you think you’d have to be dealing with so many details that have nothing to do with the beer itself? Some things were probably obvious, like creating interesting artwork on bottles and cans to entice beer drinkers scanning Beeradvocate forums for new microbrews. But did you expect the hassle of finding an artist to design the artwork for your bottles and cans, getting through the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) labeling minefield, deciding on a label material, or spending eye-watering amounts of time staring at a computer screen researching which label applicator would be best for your operation?

Look at it this way, though. These obstacles have prevented many people from marketing their beer because it is a time-consuming pain-in-the-keg process. Still, you persevered and crafted your craft brewery. And our team at Pack Leader USA is here to make the process of choosing an automatic bottle labeler as painless as possible. Plenty of microbreweries have trusted their beer labeling equipment needs to Pack Leader USA, and here are six reasons you should, too.


CaseStudy-Feature_SonomaCiderLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CASE STUDY




1. Reliability

Picture this. You’ve just put the finishing touches on your summer ale. You found the complex flavor you were hoping for, and the mouthfeel is spot-on. As you place your first batch in the packing line, you hear some expensive-sounding grinding noises from your inline bottle labeler and everything halts. You peer inside to see a mess of hard-to-access parts made from seemingly cheap material. To stay ahead of the competition, hit seasonal retail marketing timelines, and meet sales goals, there’s no time to waste.

With Pack Leader USA labeling equipment, you can depend on your beer bottle labeling machine to perform. You get tight tolerances and precision parts made from 304 stainless steel and aluminum for high rust resistance, high performance, and longevity. We adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices and ISO 9001 quality control procedures for every labeling machine to give you peace of mind every time you turn yours on. They’re easy to service, and you can even order the most commonly needed parts to keep on hand in the event of an issue. 

2. User-Friendliness

The frustration you feel when you have a brand new machine on your floor that no one can figure out how to use is immeasurable. It's basically a speed bump in your beer packaging line. So no matter how nicely built a machine may look, if the controls are obtuse, what's the advantage? 

User-friendliness

Almost every Pack Leader USA labeler has a color touchscreen with easy-to-understand functions. Those that don't have color touchscreens have easy-to-understand slide-out controls. Some have both. Plus, when you purchase your machine, Pack Leader USA ensures employees are properly trained on its use. You can even call us when it's time for a refresher or when new employees need training. And if you're going to do some light servicing yourself, access panels are in intelligent locations, giving you quick access. Need more than that? We have helpful tutorials and spec sheets available online for 24/7 access.

3. Responsive Service

What happens when you encounter a broken labeler that halts production? Imagine that happening and not being able to reach the manufacturer to send out a repair technician. Perhaps they don’t answer, their voicemail is full, or the number’s disconnected. You’re at minimum productivity, and on top of that, an essential piece of equipment has to be repaired, but by who? 

You should expect that when you call for repair, you get an instant response. When you need help from Pack Leader USA, you get connected to an expert who will help you over a phone or via video call, and if the problem requires a technician’s hand, one will be sent to your facility. We’ll also work with you on a preventative maintenance schedule and ongoing training for your personnel. We understand how important it is that your bottle labeling equipment works at all times. Downtime and waste are options for brewing trying to keep pace. That’s why we’re available and ready to help whenever you need us.

Responsive Service

Before you even buy Pack Leader USA labeling equipment, be sure to ask for a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) to be absolutely sure your beer bottles and beer cans work seamlessly with the machine.

4. Flexibility

In your brewery, things are going to change constantly. Maybe you switch from bottles to cans depending on the beer. Perhaps you use 12-ounce cans, pint cans, and crowlers. You might even change the material of your beer labels as the need suits you. You need a labeler that can accept different container types, different label sizes, and various material types with minimum effort and downtime.

Good news for you! Pack Leader USA labeling equipment is super flexible. They not only accept a wide variety of beer label types and container sizes, but you can even store different production runs in the machine so you can change over labels and containers with a few button presses. Labeling machines like Pack Leader USA's PL-501-NL can even add a neckband at the same time as a wraparound label for that classy, vintage look. Many of our machines are portable, especially tabletop labelers like the ELF-50, which can be moved around your facility to multiple areas of production if needed.

Labeling-Equipment_ELF-50_XL_FL

For a bonus bit of flexibility, check out Pack Leader USA's shrink sleeve labeling equipment. Shrink sleeves work with just about any container shape and offer the most space for graphics. They're also non-adhesive, so if you need to remove labels from containers, there's no residue. 

5. Expandability

Let’s say you want to add functionality to your existing craft brew packaging line. Pack Leader USA labelers can be expanded to incorporate label head printers (both hot stamp and thermal transfer), tamper-evident neckband tunnels, and even parts that will help you integrate your labeler into your existing production line. All the components that Pack Leader USA manufacturers are made to specific tolerances, so there’s no worrying if they’ll fit in your particular piece of equipment. 

Expandability

6. Successful Track Record

Pack Leader USA labeling equipment is everywhere. 18th St. Brewery in Indiana, Mountain Fork Brewery in Oklahoma, even Palau Brewing in Micronesia all use Pack Leader USA labelers. When you keep seeing the same name popping up over and over again across breweries, that’s a good sign that you’ve found a quality labeling manufacturer for your beer bottles and cans. But don’t just take our word for it — ask around. Always research your equipment options, make sure you’re buying from a company you can trust.

Check out Pack Leader USA’s line of labelers for the craft beer industry. You can compare features and ask us all the questions you want so you’re sure the decision you make is the right one.

Get a Price 

When you’ve done your research but before you make a choice, there’s only one step left — ask about pricing and financing options. When you choose Pack Leader USA as your beer labeling partner, you’re getting a solution that you’ll be happy with for years and years. When it comes time to replace your Pack Leader USA labeler, it won’t be because it wore out or broke; it’ll just be because you want to upgrade because business is booming. Discover if our equipment is right for your brewery goals, packing line, and budget by scheduling a free, no-obligation consultation. 

Resources