Retail Print & Labeling
Integrated solutions for retail warehouse, in-store, PoS and promotions printing

Sato has launched its new TH2 label printer aimed at the retail and food markets. The printer offers portable, standalone, intelligent printing within a highly competitive price bracket. The TH2 label printer has applications for any business involving food and is said to be particularly suited to quick-serve restaurants. With its internal real-time clock the TH2 enables users to adhere easily to food preparation and labelling legislation as it is claimed to be able to simply calculate pull, thaw and use-by dates (and times) for products stored in its user-specific database without the possibility of operator error. Sato reports that these features assist in not only meeting food standards requirements but also in reducing unnecessary wastage. The TH2 is simple to use; lightweight yet robust and able to operate within a temperature range between 0 and 40ËšC. It has an anti-microbial coating, while other food industry applications include ingredient labelling and shelf labelling.
 
Price mark-down functionality
The TH2 is also suited is the retail environment, due particularly to its price mark-down functionality. Many retail outlets currently handle price markdowns using pre-printed labels. This inflexible approach can result in non-uniform price reduction information being communicated to customers and, at worst, loss of profits as staff struggle to make percentage calculations or implement markdowns accurately. Using the user-defined database, which can easily be downloaded to the unit's SD card or accessed via the LAN, price calculation responsibilities are removed from the staff on the shop floor, while they are still able to implement a price reduction promotion or sale at short notice to clear end of line or perishable products or to improve inventory flow. Integrating with any handheld scanner the TH2 can print 'Was' and 'Now' prices with percentage discount information set automatically onto a tag or label.
 
Application Enabled Printing
Sato comments that the TH2 represents a new concept in printing, Application Enabled Printing (AEP). Using Sato's software users can reportedly create a new application very easily and transfer or update this information onto the SD memory of the unit via USB or LAN. As AEP requires some programming skills on behalf of the reseller, partners are required to be certified by Sato to sell the TH2. Becoming certified is simple and involves a one-day training course and the purchase of a demo kit.

Sato International Europe's managing director, Brian Lang, said: "The TH2 is an important new technology for Sato in Europe as we believe that it represents a sign of how the company wants to develop. The product itself offers incredible functionality and because of its pricing we believe that it offers our channel partners a huge opportunity to gain more business in both the retail and food sectors."

Designed with versatility in mind the TH2 is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can print between 4000 and 5000 labels from a single charge. The TH2 features an in-built keypad, so there is no need for a PC in close proximity. It has an anti-microbial casing to prevent bacterial cross contamination and has a wide, adjustable LCD screen display which offers mobile phone type, intuitive operation. The TH2 has a carrying handle as standard and a range of accessories is available such as a keypad cover, SD card, a hanging wall mount and a label cutter.