5 Signs Your Labelling System Needs an Upgrade

Introduction

When was the last time you evaluated the performance of your labelling line? For many manufacturers, labelling equipment is left running well past its prime—patched up with repairs, but no longer delivering the efficiency or reliability the business needs. While keeping older machinery might feel like the economical choice, the hidden costs in downtime, maintenance, and compliance issues often outweigh the savings.

Here are five clear signs that your labelling line may be holding you back—and why upgrading could unlock greater efficiency, compliance, and growth for your business.

1. Frequent Downtime

If breakdowns and stoppages are becoming a regular occurrence, your machinery could be approaching the end of its useful life. Every unplanned stoppage doesn’t just mean repair costs—it also results in wasted product, lost production hours, and frustrated staff.

Modern labelling systems are engineered for reliability, with robust builds, predictive maintenance tools, and access to responsive local service support. By investing in an upgrade, you reduce costly interruptions and give your operators confidence that the line will keep moving when you need it most.

2. Slow or Manual Changeovers

Are your operators spending too much time adjusting settings or swapping out parts between runs? Manual changeovers slow production, increase the risk of human error, and reduce your ability to respond quickly to customer demand.

Newer labelling machines feature quick-release components, intuitive touchscreen controls, and automatic calibration—allowing changeovers in minutes rather than hours. That agility keeps your line flexible, so you can efficiently handle multiple product sizes, SKUs, or packaging types without losing valuable production time.

3. Consistent Label Misalignment

Wrinkled, skewed, or misplaced labels are more than just an eyesore—they send the wrong message about your brand and can even result in compliance failures or recalls. Persistent misalignment is often a sign that core components like drives, sensors, or tensioners are worn out.

Upgrading to modern systems provides servo-driven precision, intelligent sensors, and built-in vision inspection to ensure every label is applied consistently. The result? Products that not only meet strict quality standards but also stand out for their professional presentation on the shelf.

4. Unable to Meet Regulatory Demands

Regulations and industry standards are evolving faster than ever—especially in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. If your current line can’t accommodate tamper-evident seals, allergen declarations, or variable data printing such as batch codes and expiry dates, you’re putting your business at risk.

A modern labelling solution ensures you stay ahead of compliance requirements, with the capability to adapt as regulations change. From serialisation and QR code integration to export-ready packaging, an upgraded line future-proofs your operations and helps you avoid costly penalties or product recalls.

5. Limited Scalability

Perhaps the most telling sign: you’re turning down opportunities because your current labelling line can’t keep up. If you’re forced to cap production, reject orders, or outsource because of equipment limitations, you’re missing out on growth.

Modern labelling systems—such as Impresstik’s modular, reconfigurable machinery—are designed to scale with your business. Whether you need faster throughput, additional product lines, or integrated packaging automation, an upgraded system grows alongside you, supporting long-term success.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Don’t wait for a breakdown or compliance issue to expose the limitations of ageing equipment. A proactive review of your labelling line could highlight opportunities to improve efficiency, protect your brand, and unlock new growth.

At Impresstik, we help businesses across industries assess, upgrade, and optimise their labelling systems for today and tomorrow.

Contact us today for a line review—and discover how a new system could pay for itself in improved uptime, precision, and scalability.