Charlotte, NC January 20, 2021 – SATO, a global pioneer in the development of auto-ID and labeling solutions, launched the PV4 mobile barcode label printer in North America and Europe today. This 4-inch entry model printer comes with best in class media capacity and rich interface options. The PV4 is engineered for productivity and accuracy in the harsh environment of high volume e-commerce operations. 
Growth of retail e-commerce has accelerated worldwide due to consumer desire to avoid contact under the Covid-19 pandemic. It is estimated that the industry grew 27.6 percent globally in 2020 and is on pace for further 14.3 percent growth in 20211.
In e-commerce warehousing, a number of key processes require scanning, labeling, and relabeling
of items. These include basic order picking, split case relabeling2, putting away, incoming inspections, and cross-docking processes3.
Manual order picking ranks as one of the most time-consuming and therefore cost-intensive operations in warehouses around the world4. Human error can also be a bottleneck in this process, resulting in issues that could lower customer satisfaction.
Mobile printing of barcode labels can improve productivity compared to stationary printing by reducing walking time and other unnecessary movement. Also, by labeling at the point of application, e-retailers can decrease mislabeling errors for more accurate shipments and higher service levels.
SATO Corporation Head of Global Sales Hayato Shindo said, "At SATO, we are continuously striving to innovate and fill the gaps for customers, and the PV4 is built to complement a comprehensive track & trace solution. This mobile printer is truly flexible and durable for easy deployment and demonstrates our commitment to on-site optimization and our customer-first approach."
E-commerce operators can be assured of SATO’s commitment to full service and support. This includes localized parts inventory, engineering and on-site support, and all-inclusive coverage for total peace of mind.
Combining the PV Series with the PW2NX, SATO now has a full range of mobile printers for 2", 3", and 4" label applications. In addition, to e-commerce SATO mobile printers are ideal for item level pricing, specimen collection, cross docking and shelf edge labeling.
PV4 at a glance
- Rugged – Durable construction and rubber over-molding to survive 6 ft. (1.8 m) drops, IP54 rating for water and dust protection
- Capacity – Best in class large 2.6" roll with a total length of 718 ft. (219 m) for lower operating costs
- Fast – 5ips print speed
- Endurance – High capacity smart battery 7.2v 6700mAh for extended usage
- Connectivity – Flexible interface options from USB v2 HS, serial, Bluetooth-LE v5.0, WLAN (802.11 a/b/g/n) with 5 GHz & 2.4 GHz support, MFi, SoftAP, MPrint Server for direct printing from the web browser
- Integration – Eases deployment within existing infrastructure with leading mobile printing language emulation
- Service – Technical support and maintenance by experienced engineers for continuous peace of mind
1. Insider Intelligence "Global Ecommerce Update 2021"
2. Split case relabeling: When individual products are picked in different locations and put in new packaging for shipping
3. Cross-docking: When items are moved directly from receivables to outgoing shipping without long-term storage
4. Park B.C. (2012) Order Picking: Issues, Systems, and Models. In: Manzini R. (eds) Warehousing in the Global Supply Chain. Springer, London. https://www2.satoamerica.com/e/51612/10-1007-978-1-4471-2274-6-1/ddk2bc/1051033728?h=38olQ330dvgzSlfksBrg4jKFbzpXkhxk6miQlYYPWXQ
About SATO
SATO (TOKYO: 6287) is a global auto-ID solutions provider for leading manufacturing, logistics, retail, food & beverage, and health care companies. With a bottom-up understanding of on-site use applications, SATO tags items with identifiers to improve supply chain flows of tomorrow by solving managerial and operational challenges of today. An industry pioneer with 80 years of expertise and a 5,400+ strong global workforce in 27 countries, SATO engineers solutions to streamline operations, boost accuracy, support sustainability initiatives, provide assurance and emotional connections, extending value all the way to the consumer. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, it reported revenues of JPY 116,372 million (EUR 963 million*). More information about SATO can be found at www.sato-global.com.
