The word might not mean much at first, but we use consumables every day! A consumable is, for example, the ink cartridge in the office printer. They’re called “consumables” because they’re intended to be replaced regularly as they’re used up. Consumables are essential to keeping IT and logistics tools working properly and they play a key role in ensuring products can be identified and traced throughout their life cycle. The IER Group offers a vast range of consumables. Its Track & Trace Business Unit designs and markets products such as ribbons for label printers and RFID tags. So what’s the difference between all these types of consumables?
Multiple types of consumables
In partnership with Zebra Technologies and Toshiba, the IER Group meets businesses’ needs by offering solutions tailored to each business sector. IER Track & Trace offers three main types of consumables with well-defined characteristics. Here’s a brief overview:
Let’s start with ribbon consumables. These are used to transfer ink to a label via a thermal process. They offer clear, resistant and lasting printing, which is ideal for use on paper and compatible with applications requiring good durability over time.
Printable labels are probably the most common consumable type. Among other things, they are used for barcodes, QR codes, text and logos on your packages. These consumables are used in a wide variety of applications, from simple e-commerce parcels to refrigerated mass retail products.
Finally, RFID tags work using radio waves and incorporate an electronic chip that can transmit information remotely. Connected to an IoT (Internet of Things) network, they make it easier to track products by exchanging information and commands over the Internet. This type of consumable is used in particular in inventory management and product monitoring, especially in the logistics and mass retail sectors, where it represents a considerable time saving.
IER Track & Trace , a partner for businesses
IER T&T, a company specialising in data collection and traceability, helps professionals monitor their supply chain. The company supplies a wide range of consumables that meet CSR specifications.
« Our role at IER Track & Trace is to select and recommend the right consumables based on companies’ needs. By working with suppliers like Toshiba and Zebra Technologies, we guarantee our customers get reliable, tailored solutions, which ensure that traceability information remains legible and usable from the beginning to the end of the product life cycle »
Sylvain Gotteland
Technical Director
