Markem-Imaje, the global provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions and industrial marking and coding systems, has helped one of France’s biggest paint manufacturers to increase its production output and efficiency at its headquarters and main plant.

The implementation of a combination of primary and secondary coding hardware, continuous inkjet (CIJ) and print and apply (P&A), with software, the Markem-Imaje CoLOS® suite, have enabled V33 to significantly improve its Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and increase production. This boost represents a significant achievement for the 65-year-old family run business, which now has over 20,000 product references and a presence in more than 30 countries.

V33, which is also known for its wooden furnishings and coatings, now manages its entire production site’s printer fleet centrally, replacing previous software installed on each operator station, increasing efficiency while reducing the need for manual intervention.

Based in the Jura region of eastern France and employing more than  600 people, V33, had embarked on a quest over two years ago to find a  sole supplier for both its printing hardware and associated software,  which ruled out other providers. The company then challenged Markem-Imaje to improve the efficiency of its operations following its purchase of 30 2200 Series P&A labelers and several 9450 range CIJ printers, together with the coding company’s proprietary packaging Intelligence software CoLOS®.  The latter was purchased alongside cameras to verify the marking quality and precision directly on V33’s vast range of products and case packaging.

The 2200 Series enables V33 to print and apply grade A GS1 compliant  labels on any shape, size, or substrate at speeds of 150 products per minute, including QR codes. Implementing the Markem-Imaje P&A technology enabled V33 to improve marking quality, workstation  ergonomics, and production tool safety. Additionally, thanks to the  personalized mechanical integration of the 2200 Series labelers on Slides by Markem-Imaje consultants, changing consumables has  become more ergonomic and faster than the previous solution.

The 9450 printers are now used directly on plastic and metal product substrates with its innovative proprietary cartridge system, Intelli’inks®, making set-up clean and automatic while maximizing production uptime. The 9450 also prints high-resolution codes 20% faster than similar printers at up to 6 meters per second and permits up to five lines of print.

V33 selected Markem-Imaje CoLOS® software, which integrates with thousands of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and other  printing systems. Since implementing the software, V33 can manage  two simultaneous production launches via an SAP tablet or a specially  developed web interface, the latter securing and simplifying operator  actions while offering maximum flexibility. The solution set also provides secure previews of message templates to be printed and simplifies the updating of all production line printers and cameras used to verify codes, in a single action.

CoLOS® also allows the operators to easily choose the printers to update  and the label templates to be used as well as working with the Cognex camera system to validate that 100% of products are labeled correctly and with the right label.

To help guarantee the continued improvement in efficiency, V33 opted for a Confidence Premium maintenance contract, ensuring a reduction in time spent on maintenance operations and continuous production. The company also signed up for an Essentials Plus contract to manage the costs of consumables and their supply in advance.

“Over the past two years, V33 has seen a clear improvement in its OEE thanks to improved equipment reliability and the 2200 Series. And with the CoLOS® software suite, this has led to real productivity gains. This was the original goal,” says Account Manager, Thierry Dotal.