Page 44 - Food & Drink Magazine April 2019

LABELLING, CODING & MARKING
Stamp of approval
Transparency, IoT and Industry 4.0 are sparking a surge of innovation in the labelling, coding and marking space. We reveal some of the latest launches.
FOODMACH LAUNCHES BRAND PROTECTION TECH
Australian packaging automation and product traceability system integrator Foodmach has teamed up with global supply chain security expert Systech to bring its Unisecure technology to the ANZ market.
The agreement allows Foodmach to serve as a ‘Systech preferred partner’ to market UniSecure in Australia and New Zealand.
According to Systech, UniSecure is the only proven, non-additive, product authentication solution that leverages existing product barcodes and packaging to create a unique signature that cannot be duplicated, hence ensuring product authenticity.
Print operations are dynamic, whereby environmental factors combine to produce micro- variations or “noise” in printed marks. These variations are random, unique, and beyond
controllable resolution of any printer, according to Systech. The company says UniSecure takes advantage of these variations by detecting measurable patterns and harnessing them to generate an inherent, covert security feature from existing package print marks.
Systech claims that the ability to uniquely identify and authenticate individual products is the only path to mitigate counterfeit and diversion risks in the supply chain, while protecting brand equity and assuring consumer safety.
“Australia and New Zealand are significant exporters across high-value categories, including food, dairy and wine, to Asia, where counterfeiting and product diversion are growing challenges to brand owners,” Ara Ohanian, CEO of Systech said.
“We are confident that our pioneering technology, in
partnership with Foodmach, will deliver end to end supply chain protection in this fast-growing region of the world.”
Foodmach’s GM of Product Traceability Solutions Phillip Biggs said, “When I came across Systech’s technology
– unique serialisation and traceability without the need for any additional unique covert or overt technologies on each individual product – I
knew it was a game changer. “We are extremely excited to
partner with Systech. We believe there is a tremendous need for this technology in Australia and New Zealand.”
Foodmach and Systech demonstrated the new solution at AUSPACK 2019
in Melbourne in March,
with Systech’s Liza Nelson presenting on the technology in the Showcase Theatre.
44 | Food&Drink business | April 2019 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au
LINCO LAUNCHES IOT-ENABLED LABELLER
Linco, the agent for Espera’s weigh price labelling range, has announced a new range that has been re-engineered for IoT /
Industry 4.0 capabilities. The new Espera Nova,
which was on show for the first time at AUSPACK
2019 in Melbourne in March, has been
designed to offer smart functionality and
efficiency.
In addition to previous
features – such as automatic product guidance, automatic printer positioning, tool free
conveyor and belt release, and super fast label roll changes – the Nova series
also introduces a raft of new features and capabilities including
a massive 21” touch screen with swipe between three main screens – start screen, production screen, and status screen.
Espera Nova also includes “Think4Industry” smart software for fast machine operation and intuitive control and fully customisable screens adapted to suit customers’ requirements. Features include an on board label designer and barcode creator with what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) display for ease of use visualisation or created labels and barcodes.
It also has a 3D camera system for package geometry recognition of natural products like whole chicken, fruit and vegetables, or skin packs to
determine the optimal label position for individual packs. Labelling of each pack in the best position for modern packages, and offers full status control of the thermal print head control with all new “SmartHead” technology, which optimises print quality on the fly to avoid stoppages to change thermal heads and user discretion to adapt label layouts dynamically.
Other new features include a Modular “Switch & Go” system with interchangeable applicator types to suit different products, hygienic and easy to clean machine design and “Protect+” with the highest water protection rating on the market of IPx5. Espera Nova also has full online capabilities.