For seafood harvesting operations, identifying equipment and inventory is vital to success. Yet with crates and bags which are often exposed to saltwater and other environmental conditions, how can these companies effectively track their assets? They turn to metal identification tags.
Accurately tracking oysters, clams, and more are much easier with metal shellfish tags.
Applications
Marking/Identification
Metal tags used for this application are sometimes referred to as shellfish tags. The main purpose of these tags is for marking and identification. This applies to almost anything that is used in the procurement, processing, inspection, and transit of seafood.
Crates, bags, tools, equipment, and more are marked to provide a better streamlined and more accurate process.
In addition, federal and local guidelines are pushing towards accurate and more prevalent identification throughout the procurement and transit process. Public safety is of utmost importance when it comes to food, and clear identification can help prevent any potential issues.
Materials
Metal
Metal is the standard for durable identification. These nameplates are highly durable and tackle the toughest environmental conditions.
The material they are produced with include:
- Stainless Steel
- Aluminum
- And More
These materials allow for metal harvesting tags that can withstand wear, as well as saltwater exposure.
Instead of tearing plastic labels off your clam cages every few months when they wear out, why not utilize metal tags which last for many years?
Plastic/Vinyl
In addition to metal substrates, plastic identification is also heavily utilized by this industry. These are most commonly used for short-term identification purposes. For example, federal regulation requires the harvester to identify specific info such as procurement dates and delivery dates which are written in.
The downside to using plastic labels is they simply can’t match metal’s durability. Plastic will crack and fragment fairly quickly, especially when exposed to water and sunlight repeatedly.
Some examples of plastic material labels include:
- Polyester
- Two-ply Plastic
- Tyvek
- Vinyl
While these labels may function for short-term identification purposes, that is just about the extent of their capabilities.
Processes
Embossing and Stamping
The embossing and stamping processes are tried and true methods in the metal identification space. These tried and true methods produce nameplates that are easy to read and long-lasting.
Raised embossed characters to stay easy to read even when covered by dirt or grime. Stamped tags provide ease of mounting due to a flat backing.
Tags can be stamped with any custom information necessary. Organizations often use serialized embossed numbers to mark and track their assets.
Photo Anodization
Need a more customized design? Photo anodization is an excellent solution. Nameplates manufactured with this process can include nearly any information or imaging. Whether it’s a custom logo, image, text, or barcode, this process handles it all.
While the end product appears printed, the durability would make you believe otherwise. Photo anodizing is rated for 20+ years of outdoor exposure to all elements.
Printing
If plastic labels are the only solution that works for your application, you will be using the printing process. These tags are either screened or digitally printed to produce the final image on the material. This topical ink would normally be quickly removed when exposed to water and other sea-related conditions, so a clear laminate is often added to protect the print.
Wrap-Up
Managing seafood procurement processes and customers’ orders can be a heavy challenge. There are tons of federal guidelines to adhere to, timeliness is key, and accurately tracking assets is everything.
This is why shellfish harvest tags are so useful. They provide a simple but effective solution to managing the many moving parts that go along with the industry.
Get Custom Produced Shellfish Tags
Thinking about adding metal shellfish tags to your business process? Give us a call at 1-800-428-0095 to request your FREE quote today. Our customer service representatives are able to assist you in selecting the perfect tag to fit your application.
To learn more about shellfish identification tags, visit this link: US FDA website excerpts of US FDA Seafood.
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