Simon Brennan, senior business manager (SPS) at Brother UK, explores how smarter labelling solutions are helping warehousing firms boost productivity and win back valuable time.
In today’s fast-moving logistics landscape, operational efficiency is everything. As warehousing and logistics companies look to stay competitive, every minute counts, and nowhere is this more evident than in labelling processes.
Labelling might seem like a small cog in the machine, but when it’s inefficient, the consequences ripple across the entire operation. Mislabelling and inefficiencies can lead to delivery mix-ups, increased returns and hours of lost productivity spent walking between stations or correcting mistakes.
Understanding the cost of inefficiencies
Recent research shows that inefficient labelling can cost up to £6,000 and 347 working hours per operator each year, and that it takes workers up to 23 minutes to refocus after every disruption*. For businesses already stretched thin, these numbers are impossible to ignore.
At Brother UK we’ve developed a practical tool to help businesses understand and address these challenges. Our new five-minute labelling self-assessment tool gives warehouse and logistics firms a clear picture of where time and money may be slipping away and provides tailored advice to improve this.
Identifying the best next steps
The assessment categorises businesses into one of four categories: Just Getting Started, Almost Optimised, Exploring Efficiency or Labelling Expert. Each stage comes with its own set of recommendations, helping firms take targeted steps toward better performance.
For businesses early in their labelling journey, or those unsure of where to begin, we recommend kicking things off with a labelling process audit. This helps teams map existing workflow, assess equipment set-ups and uncover bottlenecks that are holding operations back.
If you’re in the Almost Optimised or Exploring Efficiency stage, addressing common issues like hardware downtime or mislabelling is critical. In these cases, evaluating whether there are enough print stations, introducing mobile printing solutions or rethinking hardware placement can make a big difference. For instance, on-body mobile printers, forklift-mounted printers and mobile workstations allow labels to be printed at the point of need, reducing delays and the risk of error.
For those already operating efficiently, the next step is to level up. That means adopting data monitoring, staying current with the latest industry trends and developments, and preparing more robust responses to downtime. It also means tapping into expert advice and consulting specialists who can recommend best-in-class, tailored labelling products and solutions that align with your goals.
Future-ready labelling solutions
Brother offers a range of purpose-built hardware designed to support every stage of the efficiency journey.
Our RJ mobile print range can be mounted to a forklift truck for at-location printing in the warehouse, saving workers time previously lost walking back and forth to a stationary printer. This type of optimisation can yield substantial cost savings over time, such as boosting the speed of picking, packing and delivering products.
We’ve also recently updated our TD-2D and TD-4D range of professional desktop label printers to help improve productivity and cost-efficiency. The compact mobile devices can be used on crowded packing benches and are compatible with accessories such as tablet holders, creating an end-to-end solution and improving workflow efficiencies. A battery pack and carry handle is also available to support on-the-go operations.
For operations with high-volume labelling requirements, our TJ industrial printer range is built for endurance, backed by a market-leading 5-year warranty that ensures long-term reliability and support.
At Brother we live for the label. Our dedicated team of experts are here to help businesses invest in the right labelling technology to help enhance performance, reduce errors and free up time for what really matters.
Take our quick, five minute assessment to find out where your labelling setup stands and how you can start unlocking new efficiencies in your warehouse operations in the link here.
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