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Patented Solution · Managed Label Services®

Stop Outsourcing.
Own Your Labels.

Managed Label Services® is the patented Metas program that brings on-site label production into your operation — without going it alone. We deliver the equipment, the materials, and the proprietary mlsOS™ platform that automates everything. Routine reprints come off the line in as little as a few minutes — not weeks. No minimums required. Cut label costs 15–45%.

15–45%
Label Cost Reduction
Minutes
For Routine Reprints
<2%
Scrap Rates
2
US Patents

Two Old Options. One Better Way.

Until now, label production has been a forced choice between expensive outsourcing and capital-intensive in-house printing. Both options waste money, waste time, and waste materials. Managed Label Services® is the third option — and the only one that's patented.

Option 1 · Outsource

Traditional Procurement

  • 2–4 week lead times that halt production
  • Minimum orders of 5,000–10,000 labels
  • Up to 15% scrap rates eating into margins
  • No flexibility for revisions or product launches
  • Vendor breaks — your line stops
Option 2 · Build In-House

Going It Alone

  • Six-figure capital outlay on equipment
  • In-house expertise required — or hired at premium
  • Inventory management is your problem
  • 15+ hours/week of management overhead
  • Equipment goes down — production stalls
Option 3 · The Metas Way

Managed Label Services®

  • Routine reprints in as little as a few minutes — not weeks
  • No minimums — produce exactly what you need
  • <2% scrap with automated quality management
  • <1 hour/week management — mlsOS™ runs it for you
  • 911 production backup — your line never stops

A Three-Phase Program

Managed Label Services® isn't a product you buy off the shelf. It's a program we build around your operation. We map your current label landscape, design the right ecosystem for your needs, then run the whole thing through the mlsOS™ platform.

01

Develop

Analyze & Prescribe

We map your current label landscape — SKU count, current spend, lead times, scrap rates, and management hours. Using the AI-powered modeling tool inside mlsOS™, we design the optimal mix of equipment, materials, and workflows for your specific operation.

02

Deploy

Map & Guide

We install on-site and integrate with your existing systems. We write standard operating procedures, complete artwork intake, prepare optimized print-ready files, and connect mlsOS™ to your ERP. By the time we leave, your operators run the system, not the other way around.

03

Direct

Automate & Optimize

mlsOS™ handles ongoing operations — scheduling, auto-uploads, inventory, ERP sync, compliance tracking. Your team stays focused on production. Our experts stay available remotely. The system gets smarter the longer it runs.

The mlsOS™ Ecosystem

mlsOS™ is the proprietary IIoT platform behind Managed Label Services®. The capabilities below are all part of the platform — what gets configured for your operation depends on your scope, your existing systems, and what you actually need. Every Managed Label Services® engagement starts with a Free Label Assessment to define exactly what your program will look like.

A Unified Platform for Your Entire Label Operation

mlsOS™ doesn't just run your printer. It runs your entire label operation — equipment, inventory, artwork pipeline, ERP integration, compliance tracking, and quality control all coordinated from one platform.

Local-first, cloud-backup: Your operations don't depend on internet uptime. The system runs on the Metas noTBox™ locally; cloud sync provides analytics and backup. Data storage is encrypted. 911 production backup at our facility if something on-site goes down.

Print Engine Analytics
Finishing Devices
Inventory Management
Artwork & Prepress
ERP Integration
911 Backup Production
Customer Portal
Compliance Tracking
Quality Management
Variable Data

Platform capability vs. program scope. All of the above are capabilities of the mlsOS™ platform — not a fixed bundle. Configuration is scoped during the Develop phase based on your operation. Some capabilities (like artwork pipeline, customer portal, and 911 backup) are part of every Managed Label Services® engagement; others (like ERP integration, inventory automation, and compliance tracking) require integration work that's scoped and quoted into your program. The Free Label Assessment defines exactly what your program will look like.

Patented Technology

Managed Label Services® and the mlsOS™ platform are protected by US Patents US 12,365,504 B2 and US 11,945,228 B2. No other label provider can legally offer this combination of on-site production, IIoT platform, and managed service model.

What Managed Label Services® Replaces

Same labels. Different operating model. Here's the difference between traditional procurement and Managed Label Services® across the metrics that actually drive cost.

Metric
Traditional Procurement
Managed Label Services®
Lead Time
2–4 weeks
Minutes to same-day*
Minimum Order
5,000–10,000 labels
No minimum
Scrap Rate
Up to 15%
<2%
Revision Turnaround
2–4 weeks + obsolete stock
Next print run
Management Time
15+ hours / week
<1 hour / week
Capital Outlay
Working capital tied in inventory
Operating expense, no capex
Production Backup
Vendor breaks → line stops
911 backup at Metas facility

*Lead times shown reflect routine reprints of approved SKUs once your Managed Label Services® program is deployed and operating. New SKU launches, large-volume runs, and specialty work are scoped per project. Specific outcomes depend on program scope and SKU mix; Intercon Chemical’s verified results are linked below.

Intercon Chemical Made the Switch

Intercon Chemical — a multi-sector chemical manufacturer serving industrial, food service, pharmaceutical, and healthcare markets — replaced traditional label procurement with Managed Label Services®. The numbers below are theirs, not industry averages.

0%
Cost Savings
0%
Less Scrap
0 hrs
Daily Production
— hr
Weekly Mgmt

Not Ready for the Full Program?

Managed Label Services® is the highest tier of the Metas relationship — built for operations with consistent label volume and the appetite for an in-house production system. If you're not there yet, start lower on the path. The same Metas team supports you at every tier.

Your Path Forward
Tier 01
Custom Quote
No minimums, no commitment. Custom pricing.
Tier 02
Transition Program
Lock in 10–15% savings on labels you order regularly.
Tier 03 · You Are Here
Managed Label Services®
On-site production. Up to 50% savings. Routine reprints in minutes.

Need labels right now? Request a custom quote →
Already an existing Metas customer? Reorder through your portal →

Ready to map your label landscape?

A Free Label Assessment is the first step. We'll review your current spend, lead times, SKU count, and operations — then show you exactly what's possible with Managed Label Services®. No commitment. Just a clear picture of what an on-site label program would look like for your operation.