What is a logistics label?

The GS1 logistics label is a type of logistics unit marking that is increasingly used by manufacturers at the stage of organising warehouse processes, as well as by suppliers of products to retail chains. The GS1 logistics label is a rather versatile information medium that allows easier contact between people and companies involved in the stage of transporting goods through a logistics company.

What does the GS1 logistics label consist of?

There is a lot of information on the logistics label, which is encoded in the GS1-128 barcode. This way of marking shipments on the logistics unit label allows for easier organisation of transport, or simply supply chain management. The barcode on the GS1 logistics label describes the contents of the shipment.

The most essential element that is on the logistics label is the unique 18-character SSCC serial number. This is the serial number of the shipping unit, which is assigned by the global organisation GS1 and allows virtually any commercial unit to be identified worldwide. The GS1 logistics labelcan be said to consist of several basic markings in the form of standardised codes:

1. IZ (02), which is the GTIN of the commodity and the trading unit number on the pallet or bulk packaging.
2. IZ (37) – indicates the number of goods.
3. MA (15) – indication of the best-before date of the goods.
4. MA (10) – indication of batch and production run.
5. MA (00) – serial number of the shipping/logistics unit.

The logistics label mainly consists of a barcode, has the SSCC number placed directly on the label, as well as data such as the name of the goods, a check digit, a supplementary digit and the so-called serial shipping container code.

What is included on the logistics label? The most important information

The serial number of the logistics unit is not all that can be found on the GS1 label. Before creating a GS-1 label, it is worth checking what elements this merchant and supplier identifier consists of. Here are the three basic parts.

1. The top part contains the data that transport and trading companies apply directly. This should include the company name, logo, trade and contact details.
2. The middle section contains the text information together with the data on the barcodes, which should be presented in a legible way.
3. The lower part consists of barcode symbols, which accurately mark the logistics label.

In summary, logistics labels contain all the data for the labelling of logistics units, as well as the application identifiers for specific shipments in the supply chain.

Why use logistics labels in the supply chain?

There are many reasons for opting for a logistics label when organising and managing a supply chain. The most significant positives of such a solution are:

• far fewer errors due to manual data input into the transport system,
• shorter time of entry and exit of goods from the warehouse,
• an easier shipment inventory system for the transport company,
• the chance to quickly trace the history of a product and its transport route within a single supply chain.

Traceability – the GS1 logistics label also makes it possible to increase safety in the marketing of life-threatening or even health-threatening products. How is this possible? Well, the use of the GS1 logistics label offers the chance to trace the path of a package, as well as entire batches of products in the supply chain, so that goods can be quickly recalled on the basis of specific numbers and barcodes, especially in situations where the product does not meet acceptable criteria. In addition to the issues mentioned above, it is also worth noting that logistics labels:

• facilitate the recall of products that do not comply with standards,
• increase safety on the part of consumers,
• make it possible to comply with legal requirements for organising the supply chain,
• reduce production costs and even control the quality of finished products.

In which industries do logistic labels work?

When it comes to the most common solutions that no longer involve manual data entry into transport systems, it is worth noting that the GS1 logistics label has the widest application in the industry:

• pharmaceuticals,
• logistics
• automotive,

With appropriately marked labels, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and even retailers are able to communicate more quickly among themselves about goods that should be withdrawn from circulation. Interestingly, logistics labels also make things much easier for logistics operators and carriers, and this speeds up supply chains and allows them to react more quickly if any irregularities are detected.

If you want to further differentiate your company, be sure to check out the recommended printed boxes, packaging and tapes.

What properties should a logistics label have?

GS-1 logistics labels are often supplemented with RFID, which is a proximity-based solution and makes it even easier to manage the supply chain and identify products on bulk consignments, such as pallets. It is important to know that the GS1 logistics label should be of the right size to suit the supply chain, as well as being sufficiently durable, i.e. distinguished by an appropriate durability factor. With regard to the breakdown of the data into individual types, we distinguish between the supplier, recipient and carrier segments, and it is on this basis that the basic verification of the labels is carried out.

Generating a GS1 logistics label – step by step

Generating the label on the goods being transported is a key task that should be handled directly by the manufacturer or distributor of the goods. Here are some steps that need to be taken to generate a logistics label.

1. Determine the number of products that will remain elements of the logistics unit – it is worth noting how many can be generated at one time within the SSCC numbers.
2. Assign GTINs, or EAN-13 barcodes, to the products.
3. Organise the GTINs.
4. Agree with the recipients of the goods what data should be included in the barcodes on the GS1 label – it is also worth reading the guidelines set by the Polish retail chains.
5. Mark the appropriate logistic unit – this is where specialised software comes in handy.
6. Send a bulk delivery, e.g. a whole batch of products with GS1 logistics labels to the recipient.

In summary – a logistics label affixed to logistic units, e.g. pallets, is a way of communicating information within an international system of standards and business solutions. The data presented in the form of text and legible barcodes makes supply chain management much easier. In addition to knowing how to generate logistics labels, it is also worth learning about 4 effective ways to package parcels, which will make it easier to do business in the transport and shipping industry.

Generating logistics labels for the transport and bulk distribution of goods is essential nowadays in order to manage the supply chain conveniently, as well as to generate cost reductions for both the manufacturer and wholesalers or retailers.