Videojet Maximizes Kettle Foods’ All-Natural Potato Chip Production
23 Oct 2014 --- Reliable variable data printing can be a potato chip brand’s best friend, maximizing uptime and getting more snacks to market quickly.
Videojet Technologies, a leader in coding, marking and printing solutions, was recently recognized by Kettle Foods for its contribution to the ongoing success of the brand’s production facility in Beloit, Wisconsin. Videojet’s printing technology was instrumental in not only limiting downtime, but ensuring food safety compliance via superior traceability and promoting sustainability by eliminating unnecessary preprinted packaging inventory and label waste, along with related storage demands. 
“The Beloit plant is automated and has a lot of electronic equipment, data collection and process control. The Videojet printers easily integrate with our processes because they are durable, reliable and easy to use, even when we run them 24 hours per day, up to six days per week,” said Bob Manzer, plant manager for Kettle Foods. “Our maintenance manager estimates 99.99 percent uptime from the printers and we can count on them to maximize our production.”
Founded in 1982, Kettle Foods is the manufacturer of the global Kettle Brand® kettle-cooked potato chips which are available in supermarkets and natural food stores in all 50 states domestically, as well as in Canada, Asia and Western Europe. The company opened its Beloit production facility in 2007 with five Videojet 2300 Series large character printers installed on its production lines to code variable data on-demand on shipping cases.
Kettle Foods’ chips are shipped from Beloit to distributors and retailers in kraft-faced corrugated boxes. The company prints GS1 ITF-14 bar codes and human-readable information about the product to help with lot traceability during distribution. Human-readable information includes an item number, the product name, various plant codes and a best-before date.
“In our industry, labeling is key and there is zero tolerance for mislabeling. Especially with regard to food safety, accuracy and good, clear codes for traceability are paramount. We get a nice contrast with the Videojet printers and an extremely clear code on every case,” continued Manzer.
The Videojet 2300 line of high resolution ink jet printers offers consistent large character printing for porous and secondary packaging materials. The system’s variable data printing is designed to reliably print accurate, high quality, real time alphanumeric codes, bar codes and graphics with a range of printhead heights.
“Right now, we have more than 17 flavors of potato chips and 10 different bag sizes,” Manzer said.
Founded in 1982, Kettle Foods is the manufacturer of the global Kettle Brand® kettle-cooked potato chips which are available in supermarkets and natural food stores in all 50 states domestically, as well as in Canada, Asia and Western Europe. The company opened its Beloit production facility in 2007 with five Videojet 2300 Series large character printers installed on its production lines to code variable data on-demand on shipping cases.
Kettle Foods’ chips are shipped from Beloit to distributors and retailers in kraft-faced corrugated boxes. The company prints GS1 ITF-14 bar codes and human-readable information about the product to help with lot traceability during distribution. Human-readable information includes an item number, the product name, various plant codes and a best-before date.
“In our industry, labeling is key and there is zero tolerance for mislabeling. Especially with regard to food safety, accuracy and good, clear codes for traceability are paramount. We get a nice contrast with the Videojet printers and an extremely clear code on every case,” continued Manzer.
The Videojet 2300 line of high resolution ink jet printers offers consistent large character printing for porous and secondary packaging materials. The system’s variable data printing is designed to reliably print accurate, high quality, real time alphanumeric codes, bar codes and graphics with a range of printhead heights.
“Right now, we have more than 17 flavors of potato chips and 10 different bag sizes,” Manzer said.
“Because of this variety, the number of bags within a case can change and the information to be coded on each case varies. The Videojet printers allow us to minimize the number of preprinted corrugated boxes we have to keep on-hand in storage because we can customize information printed on each box for the product packaged inside.”
By virtually eliminating the need for multiple types of preprinted boxes and labels, the versatile Videojet 2300 series also contributes to Kettle Foods’ sustainability goals. “We like to print right on the box because we can avoid wasted labels, waste from label backings and unnecessary time to apply labels,” added Manzer.
“With the global snack food sales projected to grow by 7% annually through 2015, manufacturers must invest in smart solutions that can help them meet this increasing demand,” said Ondrej Kruk, Business Unit Manager – Large Character Marking, Videojet Technologies. “Variable data printing systems like Videojet’s 2300 series are a way for companies to realize maximum efficiency and productivity, while also meeting ancillary goals like food safety compliance, traceability and sustainability initiatives.”
By virtually eliminating the need for multiple types of preprinted boxes and labels, the versatile Videojet 2300 series also contributes to Kettle Foods’ sustainability goals. “We like to print right on the box because we can avoid wasted labels, waste from label backings and unnecessary time to apply labels,” added Manzer.
“With the global snack food sales projected to grow by 7% annually through 2015, manufacturers must invest in smart solutions that can help them meet this increasing demand,” said Ondrej Kruk, Business Unit Manager – Large Character Marking, Videojet Technologies. “Variable data printing systems like Videojet’s 2300 series are a way for companies to realize maximum efficiency and productivity, while also meeting ancillary goals like food safety compliance, traceability and sustainability initiatives.”
Source: Videojet Technologies
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