Retailers and wholesalers met during late 2004 and decided on enforcing compliance with global standards by Q4 2005. Trading partners were invited to participate in this programme by ensuring their products, from consumer item through multi-packs, outer cases and pallets, are labelled correctly with bar codes that maintain a 100% scan rate and a minimum verification standard of `C` when measured against the guidelines published by GS1 (formerly EAN International).
This action was undertaken due to the negative aspect of bar code technology in the retail industry, whereby poor quality codes wreak havoc in the supply chain and compromise inventory levels, costing the industry and ultimately the consumer millions of rand every year.
As one of the leading technology providers of bar code, wireless networking, RFID, data collection and mobile technologies, ProScan and its sister company, ProScan Media Products (PMP) are assisting retail suppliers to ensure their bar code labels are compliant.
Roland Pinz, Sales Director of ProScan, comments: "We have immediately available and cost-effective technologies to ensure suppliers` bar code labels meet the above compliancy requirements.
"To meet this end, we are currently providing suppliers with affordable and rugged Datamax thermal transfer bar code label printers with integrated linear scanners, which offer fast, hands-free scanning and productive error handling options to ensure all printed labels contain bar codes that are readable.
"These bar code label printers with integrated linear scanners provide a low cost alternative to online verification and assist with ensuring compliance, efficiency and cost savings."
Pinz adds: "Another critical factor in ensuring compliance of printed bar code labels is the base material used for the labels."
ProScan`s sister company, PMP, manufactures a range of direct thermal and thermal transfer self adhesive labels and thermal transfer ribbons at the company`s Jet Park plant to support a wide range of bar code printers. Both the OEM labels and ribbons are produced under licence to Intermec and Datamax, leading global bar code printer manufacturers, ensuring printer compatibility, maximum performance and optimal compliance to global standards.
"Another aspect to ensure ongoing print quality of your labels is the cleaning and maintenance of your printer`s printhead," says Pinz.
"To assist with this process, we offer the exclusive feature of CleanStart on all Datamax and Intermec ribbons, which is a self-cleaning strip included in the ribbon manufacturing process, inserted between the leader and ribbon. This ensures the printer`s printhead is cleaned with every ribbon change, which delivers extended printhead life, and consistent print quality."
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ProScan Systems is a leading distributor of a wide range of barcoding, data collection, RFID, wireless networking, GSM/GPRS communication and mobile technologies for a wide range of industries in southern Africa, including retail, fast moving consumer goods, transport and logistics, and manufacturing.
As the sole value-added distributor for Intermec and the preferred value-added distributor for Datamax for Sub-Saharan Africa, ProScan has the expertise and resources to deliver the best systems to a wide range of industries through its extensive accredited national network of channel partners.
ProScan markets and supports a complete line of data collection hardware, including retail and industrial barcode scanners, RFID products, bar code printers, wireless local area networks (LANs), mobile computers and GSM/GPRS data communications.
ProScan`s sister company, ProScan Media Products, specialises in local production and supply of original equipment manufacture bar code self-adhesive labels and thermal transfer ribbons at its head office in Jet Park, Johannesburg.
The ProScan group has regional offices in Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
For more information, please visit www.proscan.co.za.
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