A new era of coding and marking that will undoubtedly take the industry by storm. Here it comes, buckle up and get ready for this innovative labelling solution Result Group is ready to introduce to the Australian market.
Over the last few years, Result Group has worked hard to partner and collaborate with global companies in coding and marking space, EcoMark and Macsa in order to bring the unique technology to the Australian market.
Today, Result Group is excited to announce that Natural Branding, which has been rapidly gaining traction around the world, has now officially entered the Australian market.
The new EcoMark Natural Branding provides a non-contact and safe labelling technique that creates an image on the peel – a high resolution laser removes colour from the fruit or vegetable’s outer layer of skin; and literally acts as a tattoo on a variety of goods, making plastic-free packaging a reality…… packaging without packaging.
EcoMark Natural Branding is the new, sustainable, and cost-effective alternative to produce unit labelling, as it has the potential to completely eliminate the need for those pesky little fruit labels and the silicon liner that goes with them, and it contains zero ink. The new system, has no labeller; not to mention ridiculously good ROI – zero label cost and no lock in contracts for consumable. The advantages are endless…
The new laser technology may be used on any food with any a robust skin, including: apple, avocado, apricot, banana, grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, lime, mandarin, pear, orange, papaya, peach, passion fruit, coconut, fig, guava, papaw, plum, pomegranate, lychee, mango, corn, capsicum, chilli, cucumber, ginger, garlic, onion, carrots, parsnip, tomato, pumpkin, zucchini, artichoke, beetroot, Brussel sprout, cabbage, eggplant, fennel, peas, potato, squash, sweet potato, asparagus, turnips, radish, cauliflower to name but a many!!!
It is fair to assume that differentiating organic products with over 40 installations already undertaken and operational are the major focus of the innovative solution, however the conventional marking and traceability coding is now a reality, especially with 2D codes use evolving in the Fresh Produce and to use in retail outlets.
Utilising a laser for the marking, the system ensures branding, SKU level identification, traceability and authenticity while producing no long-term damage barely detectable heat on fruits and vegetables. The advantage of the system is that it simply depigments the uppermost cell layer of the fruit’s skin and removes the outermost layer of skin, preserving the fruit’s integrity.
However, due to its adaptability and ease of production line integration, it is becoming increasingly popular for conventional goods such as bread, biscuits, chocolate, and other confectionery products, all of which can benefit from natural branding without losing traceability; the method is absolutely exceptional for marketing promotions and branding of the product itself, as it has no effect on food quality or shelf life, providing the cheapest way to mark the product in small or large quantities.
“In over 35 years of coding and marking and spending a good part of those years exploring the world for innovation, I have seen nothing like this system, nor the potential for expansion in other markets outside of fresh produce. Put simply, this can and will re-invent coding and marking in the years to come,” said Michael Dossor, a Group General Manager at Result Group.
Laser technology is the most environmentally friendly, safe, and efficient method of labelling organic fruits and vegetables for retail sector; there is no use of plastic or paper labels or the silicon baking paper that comes with them, and only a small amount of energy is required and there are ZERO, that’s right ZERO consumables. EcoMark lasering is ideal for short-term special editions or standard seasonal product labelling.
Whatever the complexity of the coding to be marked on the product – 2D codes Datamatrix and QR, logos, certification marks, shapes, numbers, and text – the various requirements can be met with the Eco Mark machine, with the ultimate being a GS1 Datamatrix or QR code represented by the GS1 digital link standard that contains everything from the source of the product to the use by date and origin information; and is still acceptable for point-of-sale scanning and consumer engagement via any smartphone camera or app.
As a GS1 Australia Strategic Alliance Partner, Result Group sees enormous potential in leveraging innovative technology by collaborating on future projects with GS1 and the entire industry. Result Group is already working with a number of industry bodies proving the tech for growers.
How does it work?
The Eco Mark Natural Branding system has 4 base components;
- A Product handling system designed around the product or products being marked
- A 3 D camera for vision and mapping locating the exact place to mark the product
- The Laser coder or coders themselves
- Software control that drives the entire system and is infinitely upgradable
What are the economic advantages of the technology?
Natural branding is a completely innovative approach emerging in the industry to improve traceability and assist in the reduction of label use for environmental and economic reasons.
In the process, no inks or chemical additives, packaging materials, colours, or stickers are used. The laser beam does all the marking work, fruits and vegetables remain completely intact beneath their skin or peel. The natural flavour is also preserved; consumers can simply peel or eat it with the skin or peel, and the shelf life is not impacted.
The economic benefit over plastic packaging and stickers is obvious: On average, a package weighs about 20 grams, plus a sticker for labelling. So, the packaging costs are sometimes even higher than the product costs themselves.
Can Natural Branding boost your sales?
Absolutely! Natural Branding employs this technique to create profitable creative marketing campaigns for a variety of occasions, such as a pattern on a pumpkin for Halloween or an Easter bunny on fruits in April, as well as countless opportunities for the baking and confectionery industries…Each customer request can be handled individually and quickly without incurring additional costs. With the EcoMark software, new logos and text can be easily and quickly created, imported and printed, each user can instantly adjust and react to the ripeness of the fruit or create new products with new logos.
There are numerous possibilities for logos that include serving tips and, of course, QR codes for recipe ideas or other creative campaigns that could go directly on the product… Every time a customer touches the real thing, they might think of a use case they hadn’t considered before.
Maximum efficiency via simplicity
There are various laser strengths available that can be fitted within the machine removing speed as a barrier to entry. The higher the laser power the faster the marking time and if necessary, multiple lasers can be installed in the one Eco Mark machine. The machine has a fast 3D camera that allows for process times of milliseconds. The technology is capable of keeping up with a modern grading or packing facility and some.
The EcoMark machine is available in two model series in terms of technical specifications: Light and Professional, both of which are very simple to operate.
The laser systems of the machines are built on a modular basis. Even the entry-level machine has a conveyor belt, allowing objects to be marked “on the fly,” that is, without stopping. The products can be placed individually, in finished packs or boxes, or even put onto the conveyor belt chaotically. The integrated 3D camera detects the position and orientation of the objects to be laser marked-cut automatically. There is no need for operator intervention.
The information is transmitted to the laser in a few milliseconds, and each product is marked according to pre-set criteria. Height differences are dealt with automatically with laser focal distance automatically adjusted by motors moving the lasers up or down.
EcoMark’s top priority is user friendliness. With a few clicks of the user-friendly software, operators without strong PC skills can independently set up the machine for all new products and logos. The only thing the machine operator has to do is press the start button. Production can be switched over in a matter of seconds. Another product can be called up with a few clicks to keep production flexible and ensures that that the best camera and laser settings are used. As Product characteristics of fruit and vegetableschange, due to ripeness, moisture content and age, the software allows you to react to these changes quickly and easily.
The Natural Branding product line is expanding…
Apple, avocado, apricot, banana, grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, lime, mandarin, pear, orange, papaya, peach, passion fruit, coconut, fig, guava, papaw, plum, pomegranate, lychee, mango, corn, capsicum, chilli, cucumber, ginger, garlic, onion, parsnip, tomato, pumpkin, zucchini, to name a few…but not limited to fruits and vegetables only due to numerous reasons and benefits that the Natural Branding can offer…
Our contribution to the environment
We must acknowledge that evolving technology is unique and has the potential to have a significant impact on the future of the packaging industry as well as the greatest impact of the carbon footprint we leave. We can help our planet to some extent simply by switching to alternative packaging, natural branding which is no doubts economically more favourable and protects the environment and climate, thanks to Packaging without Packaging.
The EcoMark Natural Branding machine has arrived and been installed in the Result Group’s Demo room. Please contact the Result Group to schedule a demonstration session to learn more about the technology.