Method of and apparatus for producing labels

An apparatus for producing a succession of self-adhesive labels carried on a length of release backing material, the apparatus comprising means for depositing at a label applying station a succession of pre-printed labels onto the upper surface of a laminar material, which includes a lower layer of a release backing material and an upper layer comprised of a web of self-adhesive backed material or a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive, the pre-printed labels being adhered to the laminar material, means for conveying the laminar material past the label applying station, a cutting device for cutting through the upper layer of the laminar material as far as the release backing material thereby to form the required self-adhesive labels, means for detecting the position of pre-printed labels, means for comparing the detected position with a desired position of the pre-printed labels, means for controlling the said depositing means in response to the means for comparing thereby to change the rate of deposition of the pre-printed labels onto the upper layer,

• wherein the detecting means is located downstream of the label applying station and the detecting means is arranged to detect the position of pre-printed labels after they have been deposited onto the laminar material.