Straight answers from the Auckland team. Can’t find what you need? Call 09 636 0696 or email [email protected].
Ordering and accounts
How quickly can I open a trade account?
Trade accounts are approved within 1 business day. There’s no minimum order. Start here.
Do I need an account to see prices?
No. Retail pricing is public on consumables. Trade pricing appears automatically once you’re logged in to an approved trade account.
What are your payment terms?
Payment before delivery for retail orders, by direct credit or card. Approved trade accounts operate on standard trade terms.
Is there a minimum order?
No minimum order on stocked consumables. Bureau overprinting runs have a per-job minimum; see the Bureau page.
Delivery
How fast is delivery?
1 to 3 working days NZ-wide via NZ Couriers, Parcel Express and Speedy. Auckland stock dispatches same day on orders placed before 2pm.
Labels and ribbons
What’s the difference between thermal direct and thermal transfer?
Thermal direct prints by heating the label itself: no ribbon, lower cost, but the print fades over months and with heat, so it suits courier labels and short-life applications. Thermal transfer uses a ribbon to bond ink to the label: it lasts years and survives handling, so it suits product, compliance and asset labels.
What’s the difference between wax, wax-resin and resin ribbons?
Wax is the economical choice for paper labels in dry, indoor use. Wax-resin resists scuffing and moisture for cartons that get handled. Pure resin bonds to synthetic labels and stands up to chemicals, heat and outdoor exposure. If you tell us your printer model and label stock, we’ll match the ribbon in one phone call.
How do I choose the right label size for my printer?
Check your printer’s maximum print width (most desktop units are 104mm) and measure the liner width of your current rolls. If in doubt, send us a photo of the current label and the printer model and we’ll match it.
How long do thermal labels last?
Thermal direct labels are readable for roughly 6 to 12 months indoors; thermal transfer labels last for years. Heat, sunlight and abrasion shorten both, which is why we match material and ribbon to the application.
Can you print colour labels on demand?
Yes. Our Bureau Overprinting service runs full-colour on-demand jobs on the Epson TM-C7500G, so you don’t have to warehouse pre-printed stock. Get a bureau quote.
Hardware and servicing
Which printer brands do you service?
Our Auckland workshop services Zebra, Datamax, Argox, TEC, Intermec, Sato and most major thermal printer brands, on the bench or on-site.
How does the annual maintenance programme work?
We service your printers on a scheduled cycle: printhead and platen inspection, cleaning, calibration and a wear report so failures are caught before they stop your line. Ask us about a maintenance agreement for your fleet.
How do I clean a thermal printhead?
Power off, open the head, and wipe along the print line with an isopropyl alcohol cleaning pen or wipe. Let it dry before closing. Do this every ribbon change and your printhead will last far longer. We stock cleaning pens, wipes and film.
My printer is printing faint or patchy. What’s wrong?
Usually one of three things: a dirty printhead, the wrong ribbon for the label stock, or darkness set too low. Clean the head first, then check the ribbon match. If it persists, the printhead may be worn; our workshop can test it.
Barcodes and verification
What is barcode verification and do I need it?
Verification grades your printed barcodes against the ISO/IEC standards that retailers and distribution centres enforce. If your customer contracts require grade reports, or you’ve ever had cartons rejected at a DC for unreadable barcodes, you need a verifier. We supply and support the Axicon range, the gold standard in NZ.
What is ISO 15415 and ISO 15416?
They’re the international standards for grading 2D and linear barcodes respectively. A verifier measures your printed codes against them and produces the compliance report your trading partners ask for.
Which barcode scanner should I choose?
It depends on volume and environment: a corded 2D imager suits most counters, cordless suits dispatch benches, and ruggedised units suit warehouse floors. Tell us what you’re scanning and where, and we’ll shortlist two or three options.
Bureau overprinting
What’s the minimum order for bureau overprinting?
Runs start from 1,000 labels. For volumes beyond about a million, talk to us about dedicated pre-printed stock instead.
How fast is a bureau job?
Proofs within 1 business day, dispatch typically within 3 business days of proof approval.
What file format should I supply?
Print-ready PDF is ideal. High-resolution PNG works for simple jobs. Our team checks every file before it runs and flags anything that won’t print cleanly.