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Outer Case & Carton Labelling Machines
Every case and carton that leaves your production line needs to carry accurate, scannable information — product details, batch and date codes, shipping data or retailer-compliant barcodes. A missed or poorly applied label can mean a rejected delivery, a failed scan at a distribution centre, or a costly delay further down the supply chain. ALS designs, builds and supports case and carton labelling machines that apply labels consistently, at speed, and to the exact position your process requires.
Almost every label leaving a case or carton today carries information that changes from one case to the next — a batch number, a use-by date, a GS1-128 barcode, an SSCC code or a customer-specific destination. That's very different from a primary product label, which is often the same artwork, run after run. Because the data changes constantly, applying a static, pre-printed label rarely works anymore: you'd need a different pre-printed reel for every batch, customer or destination, with wastage every time a run changes.
Print & apply solves this by printing the entire label on-demand, immediately before it's applied to the case. There's no pre-printed stock to hold, no changeover between reels and no risk of an outdated batch code or barcode reaching a case. It's why print & apply has become the default technology for outer case and carton labelling across food, logistics and FMCG lines.
The right system depends on your volumes and how the cartons move through your site.
Semi-automatic case labellers are bench-top or stand-mounted units, hand-fed by an operator — a practical option for lower-volume runs, multiple product lines, or businesses that need flexibility without a full production line integration. A thermal transfer printer such as the Novexx XLP5xx in dispense mode can present a label to hand. Add an applicator module and you have a semi-automatic print & apply for low-volume production.
Automatic print and apply systems integrate directly onto your conveyor, printing and applying labels on-line with no operator involvement. Because each label is printed at the point of application, batch numbers, dates, weights and destination data can all be updated automatically, case by case, without a single reel of pre-printed stock.
Cases and cartons vary in size, shape and how they present on the line, so the applicator needs to match the job:
Each of these methods ensures that labels are applied consistently and correctly, reducing the risk of misapplied labels or labels that might peel off during transit.
Most outer case labels now need to meet GS1 standards, not just carry a barcode. Retailers, 3PLs and logistics networks typically require a GS1-128 barcode encoding structured Application Identifiers — GTIN, batch or lot number, best-before or expiry date, and quantity — alongside the correct human-readable text beneath it. Pallets and logistics units often need an SSCC too, for track-and-trace through the supply chain.
Getting any part of this wrong — the wrong symbology, an incorrect check digit, a barcode too small or positioned outside the permitted zone — is enough for a case to be rejected at a retailer's goods-in scanner or held up in transit. Every ALS system is built around consistent, precise label placement and high-quality print, giving you a barcode that scans first time, every time.
Because GS1 labels combine artwork with structured, validated data, most manufacturers use dedicated label design software rather than a general graphics package. ALS supplies design.ID, our own industrial label design and printing software, built for exactly this job.
A label is only useful if it can be read. Poorly printed or misapplied barcodes can bring a distribution line to a halt, cause misrouted deliveries, or result in a case being rejected by a retailer's goods-in scanner. Every ALS system is built around consistent, precise label placement and high-quality print, so your barcodes scan first time, every time.
Logistics & distribution — handling mixed carton sizes and shapes at high volume, with labels applied to the top, side or leading edge as needed to suit your conveyor layout, with variable label data printed and applied on-demand.
ALS is part of the Possehl Identification Solutions Group, giving us access to the widest range of labelling technology from Etipack, Novexx and EIDOS alongside our own systems — so you're never limited to a single manufacturer's range. Every system we supply is backed by our own design, build and production teams, with full after-sales support across the UK.
Tell us about your cartons, your line speed and your current process, and we'll recommend the right case labelling solution for your site.