Marchesini showcases track-and-trace technology

Italian packaging and labelling machinery group Marchesini gave an end-to-end demonstration of its track-and-trace technologies at a five-day open event in Barcelona last month.

The showcase event was designed to showcase the various printing, coding and labelling machines available from companies in the Marchesini group and its partners, as the pharmaceutical waits expectantly to see what legal traceability requirements may be implemented, both at the European Union and member-state level, and also in other areas of the world.

The machinery on show included a high-speed Neri BL400 labelling machine that can apply track-and-trace codes onto pharmaceutical packaging, coding control systems from RC-Sea  and integration with an m600 printer from Wolke, which since October 2009 has been part of the Videojet group.

Because it has three labelling heads, Marchesini's recently-introduced BL400 can print a datamatrix or other code on three sides of a carton (top face and two flaps), works at high speeds (450 cartons a minute) and automatically rejects non-compliant products.

The event also marked the opening of Marchesini's new 3,500 sq. m. logistics building, constructed at a cost of €6.5m.