What Iconex does

Iconex generates revenue through B2B sale of manufactured label and receipt products, with pricing handled via quote-based direct sales rather than published price lists. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales (contact: 800-543-8130), a 24/7 self-serve e-commerce store (iconexstore.com), and dedicated customer and partner portals. The company also invests in demand generation through content marketing, an interactive Linerless ROI Calculator, and published sustainability reports targeting operational and environmental ROI messaging. Custom development cycles range from several weeks to several months depending on complexity, consistent with engineered-to-order enterprise specifications rather than commoditized stock sales. As of 2024, Iconex operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of M2S Group, a Wynnchurch Capital-backed materials science platform that also owns Nekoosa, Appvion, and Decorative Films.

Name

Iconex

Legal name

Iconex LLC

Website

https://iconex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Iconex is a US-based manufacturer of patented linerless and thermal label solutions serving enterprise customers across food service, retail, pharmacy, e-commerce, and logistics, operating seven manufacturing facilities in the US and Europe as a subsidiary of M2S Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Labeling & Receipt Solutions

NAICS

Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219)

SIC

Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Functional Labels (Linerless, RFID/NFC, Braille, Smart) (IMALAKAK)

Keywords

• Linerless labels
• Thermal label printing
• Labeling solutions
• Industrial label manufacturing
• Receipt paper products

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Label Products Manufacturing and Sales: B2B manufacturing and sale of labeling solutions including linerless labels, lined labels, specialty labels, and printing supplies. Products sold directly to enterprise customers across food service, retail, pharmacy, e-commerce, and logistics industries. Revenue generated through product sales with no specific pricing publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Iconex manufactures and sells a comprehensive portfolio of direct thermal and thermal transfer label products for enterprise customers across food service, retail, pharmacy, e-commerce, distribution/logistics, and specialty applications. The company operates seven ISO-certified manufacturing facilities across the US and Europe and sells both proprietary linerless label technologies (Sticky Media™, MAXStick®) and traditional lined labels under direct sales and e-commerce channels.

Product overview

Iconex is a labeling solutions provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of linerless and lined label products organized across six industry verticals: Restaurants & Food Service, Retail & Grocery, Pharmacy & Healthcare, E-commerce, Distribution & Logistics, and Specialty Applications. The company's core technology platforms are Iconex Sticky Media™ (patented linerless labeling combining receipt and label in one) and Iconex MAXStick® (premium linerless brand). The product portfolio includes: Food Service products (linerless order identification, linerless beverage labels, tamper evident seals, DT dispersible/extreme/fresh labels, RFID inventory labels); Retail products (linerless weigh scale labels, prepared food labels, rE-label™ technology, shelf pricing labels); Pharmacy products (pharmacy labels, rE-label™ for prescription management, healthcare linerless order management); E-commerce products (2ST™ ship slip labels, shipping forms, linerless shipping labels, selection labels, barcode tracking labels); Distribution products (shipping labels, linerless distribution shipping, peelaway labels, sequential barcode labels); Specialty products (linerless library labels, charity address labels, chemical drum labels); and IT cleaning products. The company was established in 2016 and became part of M2S Group in 2024, operating seven manufacturing facilities globally with over 500 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Iconex Sticky Media™: Patented linerless labeling solution that combines receipt and label into one product, including specialized variants such as Ultralite, Full Tack, Extreme, G2, and Zero
• MAXStick®
• rE-label™ Technology
• 2ST™ Ship Slip

Products and services

• Iconex Sticky Media™ Patented linerless labeling platform that combines receipt and label into one product, enabling businesses to print and label in a single step while eliminating release liner waste and improving operational efficiency.
• Iconex MAXStick® Premium linerless label brand designed for superior performance, reliability, and sustainability with liner-free, silicone-free, and bisphenol-free construction, Solar Impulse Efficient Solution certified.
• Linerless Order Identification Labels Combines receipt and label into one to accurately identify, modify, stage, and track food orders from beginning through final delivery. Available in 40MM, 58MM, 80MM roll formats with flexible adhesive patch pattern options for restaurants and QSR operations.
• Linerless Beverage Labels Applies customer order details and item customizations directly to cups for accurate identification, staging, and tracking of beverages. FDA approved for indirect food contact.
• Tamper Evident Labels Pre-printed tamper-evident labels that secure packaging and show visible evidence of removal or repositioning, ensuring food order integrity from kitchen to customer doorstep.
• 2-in-1 Bag & Beverage Seal Combines two labels into one for universal bag and beverage sealing with built-in security slits showing visible evidence of removal or reposition attempts. Includes integrated straw hole with breakaway option.
• Tamper Seal Dispenser Lightweight table-top or wall-mount label dispenser for organizing and storing multiple labels with independent roll dispensing. Compatible with all Iconex tamper-evident products.
• Sticky Seal™ Tamper Label Aggressive permanent adhesive with easy-to-open peel strip that tears bag and label upon any removal attempt, creating clear tampering indicators for food delivery packaging.
• DT Dispersible Labels Wash-off labels that fully disperse in water within 30 seconds, leaving no residue on kitchenware. Ideal for reusable containers in refrigerated and frozen environments.
• DT Extreme Labels 7-day pre-printed or blank synthetic all-temperature labels designed for kitchen date coding and rotation, resisting moisture in hot and cold environments with long-term removability.
• DT Fresh Labels Single-use paper-faced labels for kitchen date rotation and grab-and-go prepared food identification designed for refrigerated and warming zones.
• RFID Labels Embedded RFID technology captures, logs, and transmits data for real-time inventory management and food quality tracking through automated processes.
• Linerless Weigh Scale Labels Print-to-size labels that combine receipt and label with variable print-length flexibility for labeling and sealing made-to-order and pre-packaged foods, including freezer temperatures.
• Linerless Prepared Food Labels Iconex Sticky Media™ Extreme linerless solutions for identifying products and tracking freshness across food ingredients, prepared foods, and bulk inventory with moisture and high-temperature resistance.
• rE-label™ Technology - Retail Patent-pending residue-free removable label solution for retail order fulfillment, returns, and restocking that enables clean removal without damaging original manufacturer packaging.
• Shelf Marking & Pricing Labels Comprehensive shelf marking and pricing solutions for high-traffic point-of-purchase environments with custom pre-print or print on-site flexibility for dynamic pricing and promotions.
• Pharmacy Labels High-resolution labels for prescription vials that consolidate medication and patient data into single-step printing to improve dispensing efficiency and safety with regulatory compliance.
• rE-label™ Technology – Pharmacy Residue-free removable label technology for re-labeling returned prescriptions cleanly, protecting patient privacy and supporting recycling programs for returned vials.
• Linerless Order Management Labels (Healthcare) Linerless labeling for patient meal ID from kitchen prep to tray delivery, combining receipt and label to streamline meal service management and dietary compliance in healthcare settings.
• 2ST™ Ship Slip Labels Patented two-sided thermal printing technology combining packing slip and shipping label in one application with integrated lift-tab for easy document access.
• Shipping Forms Multi-part forms combining order details and shipping information into single-step print, pack, and ship process designed to reduce handling time and operational downtime.
• Linerless Shipping Labels Eco-friendly shipping labels eliminating liner waste with up to 40% more labels per roll, optimizing material use and reducing environmental impact for e-commerce and logistics operations.
• Selection Labels Labels engineered for efficient order picking and prep processes to consolidate documents and remove multiple process steps, available in permanent and removable options.
• rE-label™ Technology - Shipping Residue-free removable label solution for re-merchandising product returns processing to reduce packaging waste and drive operational savings in shipping and fulfillment.
• Shipping & Trace Labels Direct thermal and thermal transfer shipping labels engineered to carry critical information for reliable distribution and last-mile delivery with superior scanning performance.
• Distribution Linerless Shipping Labels (Sticky Media Zero) Zero-waste linerless shipping solution eliminating liner material with maximum adhesive performance for distribution operations requiring high efficiency.
• Peelaway Labels Next-generation piggyback labels eliminating traditional dual-layer construction with single-layer technology and integrated easy peel tab for inventory tracking workflows.
• Linerless Library Labels Iconex MAXStick® linerless labels for book bindings and media surfaces providing repositionable, residue-free removal for routing and sorting in library cataloging environments.
• Charity Address Labels High-adhesion address labels for charitable mailer campaigns with up to 8-color print capability on front side and 4-color on back side.
• Chemical Drum Labels GHS/OSHA-compliant labels for industrial chemical drum identification meeting safety standards with BS5609 compliance for harsh environmental conditions.
• KICPAD™ Printer Cleaning Products KICPAD™ line of thermal printer cleaning products including cleaning cards, cleaning pens, and cleaning wipes formulated to remove dirt, dust, oils, and contaminants from printheads, platen rollers, and label paths to extend equipment life.
• Thermal Transfer Shipping Labels Thermal transfer shipping labels with safety data sheets available for industrial applications.
• POS Impact Ribbon Ink Ribbon ink for POS receipt printing applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 40% more labels per roll reduces changeovers and keeps lines moving
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• M2S GroupcoreOthers · 1 January 2024M2S Group, a materials science and engineered coating specialist, acquired Iconex label solutions business in 2024. M2S Group is comprised of four companies: Nekoosa, Appvion, Decorative Films, and Iconex, operating in application tapes, carbonless paper, architectural window films, direct thermal, extruded films, and specialty print media sectors. The acquisition positions Iconex for continued investment, innovation, and global growth.
• Max International ConverterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired in April 2023, Max International Converters is based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and supplies thermal labels. The acquisition expanded Iconex's thermal label product offerings and manufacturing capacity.
• McAuliffe PapercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcAuliffe Paper, based in Liverpool, New York, serves as a supply partner. Assets were acquired in April 2023 to enhance Iconex's supply chain and product portfolio.
• Maxtick ProductscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaxtick Products was acquired in 2023 as part of the expansion strategy to strengthen Iconex's product offerings and technology portfolio.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brady Corporation: Specialty label and identification solutions provider with strong exposure to industrial, chemical/GHS drum labeling, and barcode labels — overlapping with Iconex's distribution and specialty applications portfolios.
• Avery Dennison: Global leader in pressure-sensitive label materials and RFID, with a far larger manufacturing footprint than Iconex. Most direct comparable on linerless-adjacent label materials and retail/grocery/pharmacy verticals.
• Sato Holdings: Japanese-based labeling solutions and RFID specialist with comparable barcode label, linerless, and supply-chain vertical focus, particularly strong in APAC distribution/logistics.
• Multi-Color Corporation (Platinum Equity): Large label converter with strong healthcare, food, and consumer goods exposure; comparable in serving similar regulated end-markets with multi-site manufacturing.
• CCL Industries: World's largest specialty label converter serving healthcare, consumer products, and food/beverage end markets — directly comparable on customer verticals and label converting technology.

Broad incumbents

• Toppan Holdings: Diversified printing and packaging group with a security/labeling division — overlaps with Iconex in specialty functional labels and thermal printing substrates.
• Zebra Technologies: Dominant thermal printer OEM whose hardware ecosystem Iconex's labels are designed for; overlapping in barcode/RFID labeling solutions and a key channel/partner for Iconex linerless media.

Emerging players

• DYMO (Newell Brands): Specialty labeling brand focused on small-format and desktop labeling — overlapping on linerless-adjacent consumer/SMB labeling, though at a much smaller scale than Iconex's enterprise focus.

Others

• Henkel (Adhesive Technologies): Supplies specialty adhesives used in label manufacturing; comparable as an enabling ecosystem player whose adhesive innovations (e.g., removable, residue-free) underpin rE-label™-type products.
• Appvion (M2S Group sister company): Direct thermal and carbonless paper manufacturer within the same M2S Group platform; enables cross-platform sourcing synergies and serves overlapping end-customers in receipt/label printing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iconex
• Xx.com/iconex360
• Facebookfacebook.com/iconex360

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iconex