Linx is the code to success for WA export-award finalist

When Wescobee Honey expanded its product lines, it needed a coder that could print on a variety of substrates and package sizes. Wescobee exports product to the Middle East and Asia, so the printer also needed to be able to code in multiple languages. The WA business turned to Matthews Intelligent Identification for a solution.

Wescobee Honey is Australia’s second major exporter of consumer-packaged honey, sending product to around 21 countries.

The company, which began in 1926, is owned by Western Australian beekeepers and gathers honey produced in WA’s agricultural, desert and South West wild forest reserves. The climate, lack of pollution, location isolated from diseases and little need to artificially feed bees in winter have all contributed to the success of Wescobee’s product.

The Linx Spectrum 7300 in use at Wescobee Honey.

The company has about 90 stock-keeping units (SKUs) across various wood honeys, organic honeys and apple cider vinegar and honey, in pack sizes ranging from 283 mL to 2.5 L.

On top of Wescobee’s solid domestic market, exports are also very important. The 2010 winner (and multiple-times finalist) of the WA Agribusiness Export Awards, Wescobee has also been a finalist in the Australian Export Awards. The producer has long been in the Middle Eastern market, recently expanding its foreign destinations by exporting into Japan and China.

Darryl Sorensen, Wescobee’s Operations and Purchasing Manager, says that along with needing to print language-specific labels, they also broadened their product range, meaning the company needed a coder that could print on a wider variety of substrates and sizes.

Already having a Linx 6200 and Linx 6800 from Matthews Intelligent Identification, Wescobee again approached the coding specialist for a solution.

“Because we had the new products, we needed to be able to code on a greater variety of items on the line than what we had been doing - such as amber glass bottles, PET and polypropylene. We also needed a coder that could print in Arabic, Chinese and Japanese.

“We gave Matthews a range of packaging and told them what we wanted to do on the line. Their tech people trialled the packaging through various coders and came back to us with the most suitable ones and tech specs. That was a really handy way to go about it.

“From there, we went through and sussed out which one was going to best suit. We wanted to see which was the easiest to use, where the code didn’t rub off the substrate and so on.”

Darryl says Wescobee is rapt with the Linx 7300 Spectrum it chose from the solutions Matthews proffered.

As with the Linx 6200 and Linx 6800, the Linx 7300 Spectrum sits at the end of the production line.

“The container gets filled, then the lid goes on; as product goes down the line, the seals are put on - if necessary - and the containers then go through the coder and onto a turntable to be packed off.”

Wescobee has four production lines, including a main automated fill line; a 10-head filler; and a four-head filler that the 7300 sits on, which handles 20 SKUs.

Wescobee is running a high-contrast grey ink (1310) on the Linx Spectrum 7300. The colour is easily contrasted on the amber glass and high density polyethylene (HDPE) containers, which vary in size on that line from 500 mL to 2.5 L.

Darryl says, “We need to print product information, branding and traceability codes, but there is a variety in what we have to print and where we have to print. This machine gives us the flexibility to print the way we want to.”

Wescobee has also programmed preset labels into the 7300.

Darryl says the 7300 has had a positive impact on Wescobee’s productivity and efficiencies.

“It has made it much easier for us as to where we are able to code products. Previously we were restricted with code placement and what we could code. With the amber or darker products, there were issues of readability.

“Also, the 7300 has increased our productivity because we don’t have to fiddle around, trying to code on labels that we used to have to do before. Now, we can actually code straight onto the product.”

Darryl says Wescobee likes Matthews’ level of service.

“We’re loyal, but because the service level is there and we are happy with everything, we will always ask Matthews first. Not to say that from time to time we won’t check other options - that makes sense - but we’re always really happy with Matthews’ service, coders and pricing.”