HP Bulmers Investing in Videojet’s 1610 High Utilisation Printers

HP Bulmers canning site in Hereford has been working with Videojet for the past 10 years to produce and package their cider brands.

The Hereford site predominantly manufactures Strongbow cider, in both cans and PET bottles, to a range of suppliers in the UK. They have two canning lines that code at 64,000 cans per hour, and one PET bottling line that codes 11,500 bottles per hour.

In 2010, Videojet supported HP Bulmers during the development of their new production line. HP Bulmers purchased nine of Videojet's brand new 1610 small character inkjet printers to code two lines of text; a Julian date, best before date, time, and a production line reference.

The 1610 is Videojet's new inkjet designed for 24/7 production, delivering up to 18 months production before requiring preventative maintenance.

The 1000 series printers have replaced a number of ageing Videojet Excel 170i UHS printers, which had until then reliably supported HP Bulmers needs for 10 years. John Lewis, Production Manager, was impressed with the new printer as it was even more reliable and compact. He said: "The Videojet 1610 is simple and easy to use. 80% of mistakes occur due to human error, and the intuitive operator interface reduces this."

Andrew Rawcliffe, Packaging Maintenance Manager, added: "The machines are so reliable we don't need to enter anything. Best before dates are created for the end of the month, limiting how often operators need to change messages."

Another advantage highlighted by Andrew Rawcliffe was the modular ink system. The Smart Cartridge eliminates spillages and ensures the correct ink is used. Andrew Rawcliffe also liked the advanced core design of the 1000 series, meaning the printer can go longer between scheduled maintenance.

Nine machines have been installed so far at the Hereford site, and having a strong relationship with Videojet is set to create a good stepping stone for future requirements.

John Lewis told Videojet: "Even under the most difficult situations, the support of Videojet has been there. All of the service engineers are very friendly and helpful."