For the Safety Compliance team at one of the largest manufacturers of recreational vehicles, cargo trailers, buses, and boats in North America, something felt off.
Across more than 120 locations in the Michiana region, safety officers were responsible for producing hazardous materials labels for chemicals used throughout the manufacturing process. Every chemical — from industrial solvents to everyday hand soap — arrived in 50-gallon drums and had to be transferred into smaller containers, each requiring a compliant safety label.
What should have been a straightforward process had quietly become a major problem.
The Challenge: Disjointed, Wasteful, and Risky
Label printers and supplies were being purchased ad hoc from a big-box online retailer. Supplies were often ordered incorrectly, incompatible, or unusable — essentially lighting money on fire. When something didn’t work, end users were forced to enter a credit card just to request help from the online retailer, while IT was routinely pulled into troubleshoot equipment outside their expertise.
The result:
- Significant material waste
- Frustrated end users
- IT stretched thin
- And most concerning — the risk of safety violations when proper labels couldn’t be produced
IT leadership knew something wasn’t right but lacked full visibility into the scope of the problem. Print and labeling weren’t their specialty, and the potential compliance implications made the issue impossible to ignore.
The Turning Point
Rather than continuing to patch the problem internally, the organization made the decision to bring in a trusted third party. With a 25+ year relationship already in place supporting their traditional print fleet, U.S. Business Systems was asked to take a deeper look.
Over several months, we worked closely with IT and Safety leadership to understand workflows, test solutions, and run a proof of concept. That process uncovered just how much waste was occurring — and helped build a program that aligned with the Safety team’s vision.
The Solution: A Purpose-Built Labeling Program
U.S. Business Systems implemented:
- Business-class label printers
- Chemically compatible labels and supplies
- Installation, configuration, and end-user training
- A maintenance and support agreement
The initial rollout included approximately 45 devices, each placed at each Safety Officers’ office within individual manufacturing plants. The program has since grown to more than 50 devices.
Special care was taken to ensure:
- Labels could withstand chemical exposure
- Software was fully compatible with existing systems
- Skeptical end users received extra support and training
Because of the planning and collaboration upfront, the rollout was smooth and well-received.
The Results: Savings, Stability, and Audit Confidence
The impact was immediate and measurable:
- $0.56 saved per label
- Reduced downtime due to higher-quality devices and local service
- Centralized, organized, and compliant supplies
- End users empowered through training
- IT freed up to focus on higher-priority initiatives
Most importantly, the Safety department now has full confidence in their labeling process. There is no longer an excuse for non-compliance — and no anxiety when audits arise.
As one previously skeptical end user put it:
“This machine has been great!”
Why It Matters
This was the second label printing initiative U.S. Business Systems has completed for this client — in a completely different application. It reinforces what we believe matters most: listening first, planning carefully, and supporting our neighbors with local expertise and service.
The real hero of this story isn’t the hardware — it’s the commitment to doing things the right way, with people who care.
