Labeling Glass Jars and Containers

Creativity is certainly abundant in the world of glass jar designs nowadays. Many products ranging from food preserves, beverages, beers, wines, and spirits to cosmetics and fragrances use increasingly original formats of glass jars or bottles.

Keep in mind that mold-induced manufacturing can cause slight variations in shape and cause seams that run from the top to the bottom of each glass piece and cause label application to get a little fussy. But hey, it is a delicate task! After spending considerable time and money to develop a brand, the labeler chosen for your end-of-line needs to be precise and gentle to get this crucial step in branding precisely right. The team behind the labeler should be knowledgeable, reactive, and ready to rise to the challenge. Versatility and quick changeovers are key factors when deciding on a labeler for multiple product formats. In this particular case the client needed to frequently switch mason jar sizes and swap out jars for bottles with ease. We are well known for our custom-made solutions, and our taste for a good challenge so we were thrilled when the client agreed that we were the perfect fit for their project.

We provided the client with this
3 step scenario

1. Replace the labels rolls from each of the label applicators
2. Switch the bottle format parts (identified by marks or colors)
3. Select the appropriate labeling recipe from the touch screen to recall the electronic parameters

The Rotary Labeler that Hit the Mark

The Soluta Labeling System is a pressure sensitive rotary labeler featuring servo-driven bottle plates. This means that once the bottle is transferred to the machine turret, you have full control over the position of the bottle, rotation angle and rotation speed, which in turn allows for perfect label application even on the most challenging bottle shape.   In this case we fitted rotary labeler with three distinct label applicators. Two of them are installed horizontally in the turret for body label applications. The third is mounted vertically over the infeed starwheel to apply the top/tamper evident label to the caps. When determining how best to label glass, careful consideration is paramount because it ultimately affects the visual appeal of the final product.

Proper tamper evident labeling applications depend on a few factors that need careful consideration:

• Labeling alignment with date markings, tamper-evident labels, tax strip labels etc.
• Label stock and it’s resistance to the environment where the product is stored
• Labeling with specialized materials such as metal foils
• Label recommendation according to packaging type and surface
• Number of labels required per packaging
• Label size, shape and desired positioning (ex: front and back labeling vs wrap-around)
• Label color and finish (glossy or mat) or transparency
• Labeling speed and changeover requirements
• Container orientation (for appropriate application to containers with handles or dosing heads)

Need help in choosing the right model, we are always glad to help!