One of these companies is Bartling GmbH, a packaging specialist from Bielefeld. Since its foundation in 1959, it has specialised in the production of plastic cup packaging for the food industry. Their customers include many well-known food brands from Germany and abroad, which most consumers know from the supermarket. Thanks to their continuous development, Bartling has always kept up-to-date and has thus secured an outstanding reputation in the market. In order to expand its product portfolio, the company has also focused on cup labelling in recent years, as this form of design offers more possibilities than cup printing. For labelling different cup shapes, however, Bartling needed a specialist and decided to work with the Bavarian labelling machine manufacturer Gernep.
It is also Gernep's aim to use modern labelling machines to present the customer's end products in the best possible light with a perfectly placed label, thereby stimulating consumer buying behaviour. That's why the labelling machines are continually being developed and equipped with the latest technology, so that even complex labels can be placed precisely on the container. Both family-run companies are united by their passion to assist food manufacturers in the production of an outwardly perfect end product with innovative and high-quality products. This lays the foundation for good project management.
Design cup labelling flexibly
The modernisation of Bartling's production halls was accompanied by the replacement of their existing and outdated labelling machine. The new machine had to be integrated into the existing production line as quickly as possible and connected to a cup stacker and unstacker. Bartling's target of having the labellers up and running at their site in just a few weeks was a tight one. But Gernep's specialists immediately took care of designing and building the labelling machine so that they could meet the packaging specialist's requirements on time. Due to the time crunch and for a smooth manufacturing process in the future, they therefore spared no effort and sent the existing stacker and unstacker to Gernep in Bavaria. There, they were equipped with the latest drive technology and adapted to the current safety standard. This was necessary in order to align the labelling machine ideally with the preceding and following production step.
By integrating the unstacking and stacking station, the system is designed to be highly efficient and ideally suited to the needs of Bartling GmbH. To meet customer requirements, Gernep has equipped the rotary labeller - type Soluta 16-1056 3SK - with a special belt channel including a carrier chain. The Soluta is also equipped with three self-adhesive dispensers of the latest generation which can process paper and film labels as well as transparent or metallised materials. This already forms the basis for a high degree of flexibility in label selection. At the moment, three different format sets are provided with front, back and partly bottom labels. The cups to be labelled are as different in shape, material and label as the number of customers for whom Bartling produces containers. Cups with a height of 40 mm to 70 mm and a diameter of 95 mm to 123 mm are predominantly processed, made of classic materials such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In addition to white printed labels, transparent labels in the no-label look are also being used more and more frequently.
Modern machinery for perfect product packaging
Bartling's highest goal is to provide their customers with perfect packaging. 90% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously or from the gut. The packaging often plays a significant role in this. To ideally implement modern container requirements and ensure delivery reliability, the company relies on new state-of-the-art machinery that is less susceptible to repair. Integrating a new self-adhesive labelling machine from Gernep was therefore a perfect fit for the company's philosophy. "In production, you have to face new challenges every day. Then it's good to have a reliable Gernep labeller," says Axel Bartling, Managing Director for Technology and Production.
As Bartling continuously modernises and expands its production, the Gernep Soluta is already designed for a higher output range. Should Bartling decide to use larger units of its stacking and unstacking stations, the machine can be easily converted. This allows more cups to be labelled in the shortest possible time and more customer orders to be accepted. The conversion effort and the associated production downtime are nevertheless kept within limits. Furthermore, the labelling machine was also prepared for non-stop operation. The integration of two additional self-adhesive dispensers for future side labelling will make production even more efficient. With non-stop labelling, the additional dispensing unit is automatically activated after a label roll has run empty, so that downtimes due to changeover work are avoided. The labeller's circular design also ensures optimum accessibility, which in turn results in short changeover times. Format parts can be changed without tools and can therefore be done very quickly.
With the flexible concept of Gernep’s labelling machine, Bartling can thus react to customer wishes and market trends in the shortest possible time and adapt its container labelling accordingly. When decorating packaging with labels, there are also frequent promotional stickers and product launches. For this, Bartling always keeps capacities free to ensure a quick implementation. This is something that customers really appreciate about the company, because packaging is usually only a small part of a precisely timed advertising campaign. The fact that the Gernep labeller produces with only very low rejects is a further plus point, especially for double-layers or fanfold labels. The label materials that can be used are also extremely variable: from embossed surfaces in gloss or matt to labels in the no-label look, all kinds of label designs can be produced quickly and efficiently. The changeover takes place without high personnel and energy costs or process-related problems.
The joint project between Bartling and Gernep was a complete success. Both companies are sure that the symbiosis of a container perfectly matched to the contents and a flawless look contributes to the sales success of their customers. For this, hundreds of employees give their best every day and are pleased to find optimally packaged and labelled products in the supermarket.