BREAKING DOWN BARCODES
Amelia Stasky • Aug 14, 2017
Barcode courtesy of Sweet Birch Herbals
Barcodes can be confusing when applying them to your product. If you expect to use your labels in a retail setting,
a barcode will be needed. The UPC (Universal Product Number) is the most recognized. The UPC barcode is a representation of 12 numbers that identify an individual product. This 12 digit number can be purchased online on websites such as
speedybarcodes.com.
Here are some guidelines we recommend following for maximum scanability when crafting your artwork:
- The required size of a UPC is 1.469” wide by 1.02” tall.
- The UPC can be reduced by up to 80% and increased by up to 200%.
- It is suggested that there is a .25” clear area on the right and left side of the barcode.
- Creative or colorful barcodes are a great design feature, but be aware that it may affect scanability. Dion recommends a solid black barcode with a white background for optimal scalability.
Do you only have a number and no barcode? No problem, our
prepress team can generate the barcode for you!
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As part of Inovar Packaging Group, Dion Label Printing is working to creating a world-class enterprise by building an innovative platform to drive sustainable growth and handle the increasingly complex demands of our diverse range of customers. Over the last several years, our parent company Inovar has acquired new facilities at a quick pace, including, most recently: Cimarron Label in Sioux Falls, SD and Amherst Label in Milford, NH. Acquiring is a major part of Inovar’s strategy to grow the company and better serve our customers and our internal teams, and we are concurrently working to expand our capacity, capabilities, and service offerings in other ways. To that end Inovar has recently moved into a newly renovated headquarters building in Dallas, TX. Located just a short distance from Inovar’s previous facility headquarters, the new location was built to showcase the mission of our brand. At triple the size of the last facility, this brand new building with its huge increase in both office and production space will enable us to provide even more solutions and support to our customers. The new facility is not just larger, however. In order to increase our capacity, capabilities, and offerings, and give our customers the highest quality labels and packaging solutions, we’ve added two new flexographic presses and a new digital press. Our Director of Marketing, Ashley Stewart, states, “the additional capacity, services, and embellishment capabilities will greatly increase our ability to meet all the requirements of even the most demanding brands. The team is thrilled to debut the new facility and showcase our capabilities to our existing and future customers.” We also have other expansions in the works. An addition of almost 20,000 additional square feet of production and warehousing space will expand Inovar’s Milwaukee, WI, location, Flexo-Graphics, and its presence in the area. We are excited for the opportunities our growth provides us to continue our rise as a premier label and packaging solution provider. Contact us today and let our growth help fuel yours.