How To Select Magnetic Inventory Labels

By Shalea Hardison

     With the unique challenges faced in business today, most warehouse and distribution centers face the added tasks of scalability, flexibility and easy navigation. Magnetic inventory labels, a relatively low-tech item, can provide a quick and repositionable solution for shelving and storage areas.

     As companies grow, reorganize, bring in new products, and discontinue old ones, magnetic inventory labeling makes sense as both the holders and the cards can be relocated with the product.

     Master Magnetics offers four types of categories of magnetic inventory labels:

• Data cardholders
• Magnetic strip with vinyl top coat
• Plain magnetic strip for pre-printed labels
• Label holders

     It’s important to fully understand the scope of the labeling project to determine which product will work best in your warehouse or storage application.

Will items or shelves frequently be relabeled?

     If this is the case, data cards or label holders make it easiest to relabel the product. The Magnetic Data Card Holder kit is available in four standard widths.

Secondly, are the labels generated by a bar code machine, RFID or by hand?

     Pre-generated labels work best with any of the magnetic inventory label systems except for the vinyl topcoat. Be sure to take into account the size of label your machine generates and match it to the corresponding size magnetic label.

Next, is your warehouse racking or shelf storage smooth or is does it have a texture that might interfere with the gripping power of the magnet?

     Any surface that isn’t smooth may need a thicker magnet to ensure the label stays in place. Both the standard magnetic strip and the magnetic vinyl coated strip are available in various thicknesses.

And finally, do aesthetics matter?

     In areas that are customer-facing, label holders present a cleaner, more polished appearance.

     Other considerations to take into account include determining if the labels should be pre-cut, score cut or uncut? Will standard lengths and widths work in your environment, or is custom sizing required?

     Our seasoned team of Magnet Experts can help you choose the right type of magnetic inventory label to help you organize your space. Contact us for samples and solutions!