In a world where regulation, complexity, and speed-to-market are all increasing, the way manufacturers manage their labels and artwork is undergoing a quiet revolution. Digital labeling is now becoming a strategic priority across industries like pharmaceuticals, medical devices, cosmetics, and beyond.
But what exactly is digital labeling? Why is it replacing traditional, manual processes? And how are some of the world’s largest global enterprises seeing operational improvements as a result? Let’s take a look.
Defining Digital Labeling
At its core, digital labeling refers to the use of software platforms to manage label content, artwork, compliance, and approvals in a centralized, automated, and highly visible environment. It eliminates paper-based processes, manual copy-pasting across documents, and local file versions scattered across teams and regions.
More than just “going paperless,” digital labeling is about building a smart labeling solution that:
- Enables centralized control of assets
- Ensures real-time visibility across global operations
- Reduces approval times and human error
- Automates translation and regulatory processes
- Seamlessly integrates with existing business systems
The benefits are clear. But as digital transformation continues across every corner of manufacturing, it’s not just about improving efficiency. Increasingly, digital labeling is also about compliance, consistency, and competitiveness.
Why Now? The Pressure Points Driving Change
Across regulated sectors, businesses are facing increasing pressure on several fronts:
- More complex regulations, such as EU MDR, UDI, and DSCSA, require faster and more traceable updates.
- Globalization means products are launched across multiple countries, languages, and regulatory environments at once.
- Sustainability and digital-first strategies are pushing businesses to rethink legacy processes and outdated systems.
- Speed to market is a key differentiator in industries like pharma and medical devices, where product lifecycles are accelerating.
Together, these trends are making traditional, manual label management not just inefficient, but unsustainable.
The Össur Case Study: Moving From Legacy to Digital
A clear example of how digital labeling is transforming global operations can be seen in Össur, a world leader in non-invasive orthopaedics. With more than 4,000 employees operating across 30+ countries, Össur faced a major challenge: managing complex Instructions For Use (IFUs) for hundreds of Class II medical devices.
Their legacy system, built around disconnected spreadsheets, documents, and manual workflows, was reaching its breaking point, particularly under the pressure of new EU MDR regulations. The organization struggled with:
- Disparate IFU data across product lines
- Lack of consistency in terminology
- Delays to product launches due to time-consuming approvals and translations
By adopting a digital artwork management solution, Össur centralized its entire IFU phrase database, enabling standardization, visibility, and reuse. Even complex products benefited from higher-than-expected reuse rates, cutting down translation costs and speeding up cycle times.
Importantly, this move gave Össur the control it needed to confidently manage MDR compliance with pre-approved phrases, streamlined updates, and built-in audit trails. Today, the organization is not only compliant, but also well-positioned for future regulatory shifts and the adoption of digital IFUs and smart labeling technologies.
From Cost Center to Competitive Advantage
For too long, label and artwork management has been seen as a downstream task — the last hurdle before product launch. But digital labeling changes that.
It transforms labeling from a cost center into a strategic enabler, giving businesses the flexibility and control to:
- React quickly to regulatory changes
- Launch products faster and more consistently
- Minimize risk and rework
- Align labeling with broader digital transformation efforts
Digital labeling isn’t a future vision anymore. For companies like Össur, it’s already delivering real business value.
Is Your Labeling Process Ready for What’s Next?
Whether you're grappling with compliance, navigating global product launches, or simply trying to bring outdated systems into the digital age, labeling automation and digital artwork management can provide the foundation you need.
As the shift from manual to digital accelerates, businesses that adopt centralized, smart labeling solutions will be better equipped to innovate, adapt, and grow, with fewer bottlenecks and less risk. Because in today’s world, labeling isn’t just about what’s on the box. It’s about what’s behind it.
If you’re ready to explore what a future-proof, end-to-end, fully digital labeling process looks like, book a demo with our team today and see how Veraciti™ can transform your labeling and artwork management. Alternatively, speak to one of our experts on +44 (0) 1827 318100 or enquiries@kallik.com.