Fixing the Bubble — How Empower Label Solved a Critical Sticking Issue Quickly and Smartly Through Our Vertical Integration and Expert Team. Innovation from Start to Finish
The Challenge
An independent manufacturer of lubricants and chemical additives was facing a quality-control crisis. Their safety, compliance, and branding labels were not sticking properly to a 5-gallon extruded plastic container/bucket designed for displaying products on commercial and consumer retail shelves. Even when applied correctly, the pressure-sensitive labels would trap bubbles, creating a non-uniform, unprofessional appearance that failed to meet QA standards for consumer-facing products in the retail marketplace.
The Investigation
At Empower Label, we don’t just treat symptoms; we relentlessly search for the root cause and then find a cure. Our unique approach involves supervising every stage of production, from raw material and adhesive coating through conversion to a finished label. This allows us to respond immediately to any issue. Our safety label experts launched our investigation with a systematic approach, ensuring that we leave no stone unturned in finding the best solution for our clients.
Stage 1: Analyze Production Run and Examine Material Retains – Determine if any element was out of specification.
Stage 2: Attempt to Replicate Failure in Lab from Retained Material from Same Run on Same Substrate Used by Customer
Stage 3: Test alternate face materials and adhesive combinations for Optimal Match
- Lab evaluated the permanent adhesive formulation’s compatibility with the plastic substrate
- Assessed the label construction component parts
- Tested alternative face and release liner materials to determine if a different specification could resolve the issue
Stage 4: Test minor modifications to shape for Optimal Match
The Discovery
The materials testing confirmed quality across the board; adhesion, construction, and material specifications met or exceeded performance specifications. This ruled out material as the root cause of failure.
- Result 1: Material construction analysis showed the label components and liner were functioning as expected.
- Result 2: Initial adhesive testing confirmed sufficient bond strength to the Extruded Plastic substrate.
- Result 3: Evaluated alternative permanent adhesive options matching durability specifications required for industrial and retail applications.
- Result 4: Alternative material and adhesives met label specifications standards but still exhibited bubbling.
The above results led us to examine how the label interacted with the bucket’s curved surface. That is when Empower Label’s Converter Center of Excellence stepped in to focus on label geometry. We hypothesized that, rather than a rectangular label, a slightly tapered trapezoid shape that fits the container’s contours might eliminate the stress points causing the bubbles.
The Solution
Within two weeks of providing two rounds of label prototypes to our customer for testing, we validated the geometric solution. But we did not stop there. Once we confirmed the trapezoid shape was correct, we dispatched a label expert to the customer’s facility. Armed with samples in hand, our expert guided the customer through each step of the application process.
Through collaboration among our internal departments, our specialists in materials, engineering, converting, and testing refined the label geometry to a slightly trapezoidal shape that matches the container’s curve, while maintaining the proven adhesive system and material construction. This comprehensive approach ensures a clean, bubble-free label that adheres perfectly to the customer’s buckets and passes retail QA standards.
The Empower Advantage
As Empower Label locally manages all aspects of our business, from coating to conversion, we did not have to rely upon outside vendors or guesswork for solutions. We systematically tested materials, then transitioned to engineering when necessary:
Analyzing, testing, refining, and deploying everything within our own facility. When the solution was ready, we delivered it directly to the customer’s production line to ensure flawless execution.
That is the power of Empower Label: comprehensive safety label expertise from start to finish, faster problem-solving, and durable label solutions that are Making Safety Stick. Our commitment to safety, combined with our extensive expertise, provides our customers with a sense of security and confidence in our solutions.
Industries We Serve:
Empower Label specializes in custom labeling solutions for:
- Chemical Manufacturers
- Lubricant Producers
- Electrical Equipment Companies
- Paint & Coating Manufacturers
- Hazmat Labeling
- Chemical Distributors
- Safety Signage and Labeling
- Materials that comply with rigorous UL 969 Marking Requirements
- Industrial Product Manufacturers
Our expertise includes:
- GHS and regulatory-compliant labels
- Durable adhesive solutions for challenging substrates
- Custom label engineering and prototyping
- Vertically integrated manufacturing for faster turnaround & expert solutions
- UL 969 Authorized Label Material Supplier