Maxim are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high-quality printers for customers in the retail, logistics, and automotive sectors, partnering with premium brands like Zebra, Printronix LLC, TSC AutoID, and Honeywell and Toshiba, to name a few.
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What type of printer do I need for my business?
There are five main types of thermal and line printers, suitable for different applications and print volumes.
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1. Thermal Label Printers
Thermal label printers are used to create high-quality adhesive labels for various commercial purposes and are ideal for high-volume label printing applications. Unlike inkjet or laser printers, thermal printers require no separate ink or toner. Instead, they apply heat to a thermal paper, which creates an image or text on the label substrate.
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Thermal printers are popular among businesses for several reasons, including their relatively low cost, fast printing speed, variable capacity, compact footprint, and efficient printing process.
Applications:
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Shipping labels
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Barcode labels
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Stock inventory tags
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Product labelling etc.
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2. RFID Printers
RFID printers use radio frequency identification technology to print and encode RFID tags for warehouse and retail applications. RFID labels, also called smart labels, contain a small electronic microchip and an antenna that is used to wirelessly store and transmit information, such as serial numbers or product details. RFID printers operate by encoding this data onto the smart labels and printing them out, where they can be used to track and manage stock in any industry where real-time data tracking and high efficiency are critical.
Applications:
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Inventory management
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Asset tracking
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Supply chain management
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Theft prevention
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Anti-counterfeiting
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3. Desktop Printers
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4. Mobile Printers
Mobile printers are lightweight and portable direct thermal printers, allowing workers to print on-the-go. While most thermal printers require AC power, mobile printers utilise a rechargeable battery and wireless connectivity. This is especially useful for warehouse and distribution centres, where reliable, efficient picking is critical. They can be attached to forklift trucks, and can interface with the central WMS via mobile scanners, tablets and/or PCs.
Applications:
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Shipping labels
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Receipts and invoices
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Tickets
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Picking and packing information
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Price/Expiry Date labels
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5. Line Printers
Line printers are high-speed devices, designed to print large volumes of text documents quickly and efficiently, making them ideal for use in large retail and logistics businesses that require regular high-volume printing. Line printers can print several lines of text at once, making them much faster than commercial printers, such as laser printers.
Compared to cheaper commercial printers, they are extremely durable and reliable. They also do not require traditional toner or ink, giving them lower running costs and a better ROI than alternatives like lasers.
Applications:
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High-volume text-based documents
Desktop printers are low-volume, low-cost printers designed to print a variety of label types and sizes. These printers can be either direct thermal or thermal transfer, and modern versions support connection over USB, Bluetooth, Ethernet and Wi-Fi. They can also be fitted with different media handling options like their industrial counterparts, making them a versatile solution.
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Their size and ease-of-use make them an economical, space-saving option for low-volume labelling applications.
Applications:
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Shipping labels
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Laboratory labelling
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Product labels
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Receipts
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Hospital wristbands
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Inventory tags
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Price tags
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Value-Added Services
Our team provide a wide range of value-added services to help you secure maximum uptime and value from your printers. These include competitively priced maintenance contracts, fixed-price repairs, and breakdown services, giving you all the hardware support services you need under one roof, without having to deal with multiple suppliers.
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