Adequate organization of your business requires labels and label holders to keep them protected. Label holders guard the labels contained within from wear and tear they would face if otherwise displayed freely. They also make labels easier to read, since labels are less likely to smudge and fade more slowly when covered.

Using label holder products will help to maintain the organization your business needs for better function. There are a large variety of label holders available on the market and an assortment of ways they can help. Consider the following possibilities:

1. Industrial label holders will protect labels that help employees to find the right warehouse aisle.

2. Use label holders on shelves to make merchandise details easy for customers to read.

3. Dispense adhesive labels more easily with label roll holders.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Protect floor and aisle markers with label holder hardware

In large warehouses or distribution centers, the endless rows of items need to have labels so you know where to find what you need. One option is to place labels on the floor with protective metal label holders. They secure to the floor with concrete screws and have heavy latex inserts that protect the label. Aisle marker label holders are plastic pieces that snap into pallet rack holes or position between shelves. They hold the signs securely but allow for flexibility if someone bumps the aisle label.

I recommend: Buy industrial label holders, like the Aigner Index floor labeling system, from Material Flow & Conveyor Systems. Indoff lists a variety of industries that may find flexible aisle label holders useful.

Distinguish products on shelves with an adhesive label holder

Use magnetic or adhesive label holders to put product prices on store shelves or label items in storage. Adhesive products typically attach to any metal, wood or laminate shelving. Clip-on units clip over shelves made of wood or metal and remain securely attached. Holders have openings to load labels from the sides or top. Some attach directly to shelves, while others attach under the shelf or contour with it for a more appealing look. Additionally, there are label holders made for low lying shelves that angle upward so that reading the label is much easier.

I recommend: Visit Demco for a vast array of shelf label holders with advantages to using each of them. The Aigner Index AngleVision label holder tilts to an angle you like for easier reading.

Use a label roll holder for easy label dispensing

Companies use rolls of adhesive labels for all sorts of reasons. Preprinted return address labels or priority shipping labels come in rolls. A dentist's office might have a roll of happy face stickers to give to younger patients. Color coded labels for organizational purposes may also come on rolls. Regardless of the label usage, a label roll holder will help to distribute those labels quickly and easily.

I recommend: Pinewood Label Systems offers manual label roll dispensers. Many of these label roll holders come with suction cups on the bottom so they stay stationary, like those Seton offers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use a floor label holder with rounded edges to prevent damage and injury. The corners of squared floor label holders catch on machinery, which bends the holder and can trip employees.
• •  For businesses with a large amount of documents to store, consider purchasing binder label holder products. They adhere to binders and typically come with labels sized for the holders and ready to print.

Regardless of your line of work, you likely have labeled file folders, boxes, containers, storage bins and products on display. Labels themselves won't do much good, though, if label holders don't protect them and display the labels properly.

Not only should you use label holders to protect your labels, they also allow you to easily swap temporary labels when necessary. During your search for label holders, consider the following:

1. You'll find adhesive label holders compatible with all types of materials, so you won't have to worry about them not sticking.
2. You'll save money in the long run by using label holders, because you won't have to replace labels as frequently due to tearing, crumpling or fading.
3. You can reuse many label holders (magnetic or snap on) in different locations simply by removing and reattaching to another surface.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy a permanent decorative adhesive label holder

On items like desks where you might want to label file drawers, you can find extensive label holder hardware to meet your needs. You might also want a binder label holder as a more permanent solution for binders and presentation folders, where you can always switch out the label if you like, but still be able to rename the binder or folder in the future. An adhesive label holder lets you attach a holder to items that can always benefit from a label like file drawers or a store's book shelves, even though the label itself may change from time to time.

I recommend: Consider a brass label holder from Antique Hardware & Home for a desk drawer. Buy a self-adhesive binder label holder at Avery, or view the selection at FedEx Kinko's. Check out industrial label holders like the ones offered at Material Flow that allow for easy scanning of barcodes.

Buy label holders that can reattach in case you want to relocate them

If you don't want to destroy furniture or materials with adhesive and prefer the ability to relocate label holders, consider either magnetic label holders or reattachable label holders.

I recommend: Take a look at the AngleVision industrial label holder that tilts to any angle and snaps on and off. Or consider the Aigner index label holders that work great with wire shelving. Take a look at the magnetic label holders at Tatco that attach and reattach to any metal surface. The plastic label holders at Demco stay in place with friction and require no label holder hardware.

Purchase a dual purpose label roll holder to store and dispense labels

Barcode and other types of labels often come on rolls, and you need a label roll holder that will do double duty by storing and dispensing your labels.

I recommend: Look at the selection of label roll dispensers at System ID. For industrial purposes and when accuracy counts, consider the label applicators at Accuplace.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy the label roll holders first-many come with a supply of laser/inkjet-ready inserts customized for the dispensers.

Saving money on label holder items doesn't always mean that you will buy the cheapest holder you can find. Often, using smart shopping techniques can help you save money in the long run, though you might have to spend a bit more upfront.

One way to cut costs is to purchase smaller label holders. Often a distributor of label holders will charge more for larger labels, so if you can make do with the smaller size, go for it. Other ways to save money on label holders include the following choices:

1. Purchase an adhesive label holder or another type of holder that you can reuse, like a magnetic label holder.

2. Work with companies that offer rewards, so your future purchases won't cost as much.

3. Find companies that offer corporate discounts or wholesale opportunities.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Reuse label holders to cut down on costs

There are many label holders on the market that manufacturers design for you to reuse including adhesive, magnetic and clip-on holders. Label holder hardware often comes with the mounting materials, and you can move it whenever you need by remounting it. While some of these label holders may cost more, when you factor in the savings you get from not having to buy new ones all the time, you should find it to be a long-run savings.

I recommend: Vinylenevelop.com provides detailed information on a reusable zip-tie label holder. While it may cost more upfront, the zip-tie feature ensures the label stays where you need it until you're ready to reuse it. Material Flow & Conveyor Systems provides a description of several label holders, including ones you can reuse, and includes a list of the types of materials for which each label holder works best.

Put reward points to work for your label holder budget

With reward points, you can usually accumulate the points to get a nice discount on products that you buy from the company. In some cases, you may get a rebate that you can put toward your next label holder purchase, and it may even cover the cost of the purchase. To make sure you save money, look for reward programs without an annual or membership fee.

I recommend: Earn up to a 5% reward when you purchase items like the Snap & Scrap Photo Box with Label Holder from ScrapMasters. The box comes with label holder hardware and is comparable to storage boxes without it. Office Depot offers a 10% reward program for customers who purchase office supplies like label holders or a label roll holder.

Look for a distributor of label holders that offers discounts or wholesale opportunities

One way for saving money on label holder items is to cut out the middle man or to find a middle man that will take less money, such as buying wholesale. Discount vendors often sell top-line items at reduced costs. Though they make less per sale, they make more sales, which is how they can afford to offer discounts.

I recommend: See Jane Work offers details on its corporate discount program. You can take advantage of it to purchase items like its clip-on binder label holder, which is reusable. Aigner Index, a leading manufacturer of label holders, sells its products on a wholesale basis to businesses that have an account with the company. The company carries a variety of label holders, including its T-slot label holder.