“We maintain manual production methods but yet continuously strive to optimise all production processes with modern technology and the newest knowledge. As among other things the requirements for nutritional value labelling have become more and more complex recently, we have been looking for an elegant labelling solution which enables variable printing of data for various products on just one label“, says Gudrun Dikomey, commercial manager and proxy at Greifen-Fleisch. And the butcher’s shop hit it rich with the Baden-Wuerttemberg technology manufacturer Bizerba, which was already an existing supplier and has now taken on the new requirement.
They have come up with a novelty, as Marc Büttgenbach, head of sales for Labels and Consumables at Bizerba, explains: “With the VPI-label, which stands for Variable Product Information, the basic layout is pre-printed according to the corporate design with company specific parameters in Bizerba’s in house label printing shop – with logo and slogan“. The fields for the variable data like product name, date, nutritional values, weight, batch and price on the other hand remain empty at the time of delivery. A special feature of the VPI label is the sharp contrast and detailed printing. According to Büttgenbach A* legibility was achieved even in the barcode. He also pointed out that this challenge can not be accomplished with most laminates. However thanks to the complete system solution – from labelling devices, to the label right up to the right software – Bizerba guarantees a customer specific implementation and stands out from the competition as a system supplier.
Dikomey also confirms this: “Bizerba seemed to be the right partner for the implementation of our plans, even at first glance. We are now in a position to print the barcode and variable data for the nutritional value tables on our pre-designed labels pin sharp. We see a quality improvement in user information in the better legibility of the labels. The relevant data and text positions are saved in a price labelling device. And due to the fact that for various products only one label is required now, we save hard cash because we can order the labels in much bigger batches“. Therefore the cost saving and the increased productivity redeem the investment in the high quality labels very quickly.
Reduced storage costs, label change and labelling errors: the VPI label
Labelling errors seem to be a thing of the past now, as a ham label incorrectly being applied to salami can no longer happen. Also, according to Dikomey, “the high costs of storage for several types of labels and the set up times for changing labels during product change would be reduced“. Büttgenbach points out that the VPI labels are optimally matched to the Bizerba labelling machines. So the paper composition contains components which have a cleaning effect on the printing head and therefore contribute to an extended life span for spare parts. Also ”an exact and even coating of glue is the most important criteria for optional functionality of labels. At our production site we exclusively use high quality basic material with thermal coatings adapted to them based on lactone and an exclusive laminate only used by Bizerba. This combines material, glue and silicone. Thanks to a special glue, the thermo labels type BRL 90 even stick to the deep freeze packages“, explains Büttgenbach.
It is possible to print even the smallest fonts
The customers of Greifen-Fleisch include manufacturers of delicacies. New products are consistently developed in intensive co-operation with them. “Motivation and further training of the employees of our traditional, 120 year old butcher’s will be a guarantee for the quality and good taste of our products even in the future“, concludes Dikomey.
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