Fresh produce companies must be compliant with the latest government legislation when it comes to labeling their produce. In some regions, this includes providing traceability information for certain high-risk ingredients in digital format to allow produce to be traced back to the grower in the event of a recall.
While product coding may seem like a small step in fresh produce production, the risk of errors and possible repercussions from incorrect coding are very high. Manual label entry and code checking of product labels can be time-consuming and can cause a big headache if things go wrong, causing whole lines to be recalled. In recent years, this has led more and more companies to automate product coding to increase efficiency and lessen the risk of coding errors.
Domino Printing Sciences (Domino) is a global company specializing in industrial coding solutions for manufacturers across sectors, including fresh produce. The company employs over 3,000 people worldwide and sells to more than 120 countries through a global network of 25 subsidiary offices and more than 200 distributors, with manufacturing facilities in China, Germany, India, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA.
“We offer integrated solutions which manage end-to-end product coding,” said Adem Kulauzovic, Director of Automation at Domino. “This includes automated software to manage code deployment, a range of technologies that meet the standards in the fresh produce industry, and vision systems to check code accuracy and quality. Working together, these solutions reduce the risk of coding errors and protect businesses from the risk of recalls.”
Worldwide, the number one cause of recalls is mislabeling, with an average cost to businesses of USD 10 million per recall.
“People often ask about ROI before introducing new technology into the packhouse, and preventing costs from litigation may not be that easily measurable, but what is easy to see is the reduction in waste.”
To further simplify adoption, Domino is branching out to provide its solutions as part of integrated service and leasing contracts. In this way, businesses can absorb the costs into operational rather than capital expenditure and can easily upgrade or switch to solutions when required due to a change in legislation or coding requirements.
“We don’t just supply this technology; we are also a consultant and partner. We ask what our customer’s needs are and work with them. Our aim is to help manufacturers achieve their coding aims while maximizing productivity and reducing waste, which is a win from a business and a sustainability perspective.”
Domino is also working with packaging providers to see what is coming in the future and making sure they have the capability to print on new packaging solutions.
Case studies
Laser Coding of Barrier Papers for Flexible Food Packaging: Domino and Sappi Collaboration: https://www.domino-printing.com/en/stories/case-study/laser-coding-of-sappi
Laser Coding of NatureFlex™ Compostable Film for Food Packaging: Domino and Futamura Collaboration: https://www.domino-printing.com/en/stories/case-study/laser-coding-of-natureflex
For more information:
Jade Taylor-Salazar
Domino Printing Sciences
[email protected]
www.domino-printing.com