Small inefficiencies in your labelling line can quietly drain productivity, drive up costs, and risk compliance. ALS Identify helps manufacturers upgrade with custom, automated systems that keep production fast, consistent, and future-ready.
Is Your Labelling Setup Holding Back Your Production Line?
In high-speed manufacturing, your labelling equipment is a critical link between production and distribution. If it’s underperforming, you’ll feel it – in slower throughput, more rejects, and even compliance risks. Often, the product-handling bottleneck isn’t the labeller itself, but the product handling before and after labelling.
For production managers and process engineers in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, knowing when to upgrade isn’t always straightforward. You may be used to working around small inefficiencies without realising how much they’re costing you in lost output and labour time. If your labelling system is no longer keeping up with demand, these five signs are worth paying attention to.
At ALS Identify, we help manufacturers spot these red flags early and replace them with custom-designed pre and post-labelling systems that keep lines running at peak performance.
1. You’re Relying on Manual Spacing or Orientation
If operators are physically adjusting product gaps or turning items before labelling, you’re losing speed and increasing the chance of human error.
The solution: Automated spacing devices and orientation units align and prepare products at high speed, ensuring consistent label placement and freeing staff for higher-value tasks.
2. Quality Checks Happen After Production (Not During)
Inspecting labels after the line has finished means you’ve already invested time, labour, and materials in potentially defective products. Inconsistent label placement – whether labels are misaligned, wrinkled, or crooked – is far costlier to catch at the end of a run than inline.
Compliance labelling at risk
This is especially true where traceability and compliance requirements are strict, such as batch numbers, expiry dates, and allergen warnings.
The solution: Inline vision inspection systems catch issues in real time, so only compliant products move forward, reducing waste and protecting brand reputation.
3. Frequent Downtime from Product Jams
If products are jamming or falling over as they approach or leave the labeller, your conveyors or guides may not be fit for current production speeds. Repeated stoppages are a clear signal that reducing downtime should be a priority in any equipment review.
The solution: Modern conveyor systems are designed to handle higher volumes with smooth, controlled product transfer which reduces stoppages and operator interventions.
4. Rejects Are Still Removed Manually
Manually pulling rejects slows down the line and risks mistakes. Non-compliant products can slip through, or compliant ones can be removed unnecessarily.
The solution: Automated rejection units in product handling systems remove faulty products instantly without interrupting production, improving both speed and accuracy.
5. You’re Scaling Production, But Your Line Can’t Keep Up
If demand is growing but your labelling process is maxed out, it’s time to invest in equipment that supports higher throughput without sacrificing quality. This is also the point at which spare parts and local technical support become critical considerations – and if something does fail, emergency repair services help reduce downtime and get production moving again.
The solution: Modular, custom-built product handling systems from ALS Identify can expand capacity and integrate seamlessly with your existing line.
What Does Falling Behind Actually Cost You?
Even small inefficiencies can have a big impact over time:
- Slower fulfilment and missed deadlines
- Higher labour costs from manual interventions
- Increased waste from labelling errors
- Risk of non-compliance in regulated industries
The case for end-of-line automation
Upgrading your pre and post-labelling equipment means more than buying machines. You’re investing in speed, consistency, and peace of mind – the same long-term gains outlined in the Product Handling Buyer’s Checklist.
What Should You Do Next?
If these signs sound familiar, the next step is to review how your current line handles products before and after labelling, and where targeted automation could remove friction. ALS Identify designs and integrates labelling systems that improve throughput, support traceability, and fit real production environments.
If you want to discuss an upgrade, contact us to speak with the team about your line, your current constraints, and the right next step for your operation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Upgrading Pre and Post-Labelling Equipment
How do I know if my labelling line equipment actually needs replacing?
There are a few telling signs: operators manually adjusting products before labelling, frequent jams, rejects being pulled by hand, or a production line that simply can’t keep pace with growing demand. If any of those sound familiar, the inefficiency is already costing you in lost output, labour time, and potential compliance risk.
What does automated vision inspection actually do on a labelling line?
Inline vision inspection systems check labels in real time as products move through the line, so non-compliant items are caught and removed before they reach the next stage. That means less waste, fewer errors slipping through, and a much stronger position in regulated industries like food, beverage, and pharmaceuticals.
Can new product handling equipment integrate with an existing production line?
Yes. ALS Identify specialises in designing and building custom systems that are tailored to specific requirements, including integration into existing lines. So you don’t need to overhaul everything at once – modular, custom-built solutions can expand capacity while working alongside what you already have in place.
Why does it matter if quality checks happen during production rather than after?
Inspecting labels after the line has finished means you’ve already spent time, materials, and labour on products that may not be compliant. Catching issues inline, as they happen, stops defective products from progressing and protects both your output and your brand reputation.
