Claricom extends software support to Allen Coding

Claricom has extended its software support to Allen Coding, which has supplied manufacturers with date and lot coding equipment since 1977.

The partnership adds Allen to a long list of other makes of equipment compatible with the Claricom suite, including Alpha-dot, Domino, Imaje, Linx, Markem, Mectec, Videojet and more.

The company said in a statement: ‘The pressure on manufacturers to achieve accuracy and efficiency within the supply chain is paramount. Claricom software provides a reliable solution because it comprises a suite of standard, flexible and proven software packages, which combine to deliver an overall Package Coding Management Solution (PCMS).’

The benefits of PCMS are recognised across a range of industries.  ‘The costs of errors detected within the business – the ‘near misses’ – are often hidden or unquantified. By removing human error, the Claricom PCMS increases efficiency, reduces waste and helps the business to achieve on target delivery to our retail customers,’ confirmed Dean Underwood, technical manager of Quisine Foods. 

Allen provides a range of thermal transfer printing equipment with different printhead sizes for different applications. Its print area range starts from 53mm x 75mm for date and lot coding to the larger area overprinting of 107mm x 90mm for applications such as ingredients statements, barcoding and graphics. Intermittent and continuous motion versions are available to suit the different host packaging equipment. 

‘It is difficult to be an expert at everything and therefore Allen has focused on thermal transfer coding for sleeves, labels and flexible film,’ explained Steve Ryan, sales manager of Allen Coding. ‘We believe that with this focus comes experience and expertise to ensure manufacturers benefit from the most appropriate solution.’

Claricom and Allen have worked together to provide support for the Allen TT range and more recent Allen NX range of equipment within Claricom’s CLARiSOFT coder-independent message design software and CLARiNET network control software. 

‘We welcome the opportunity to work with Claricom and provide manufacturers a proven and robust coder independent solution, so manufacturers can integrate the range of Allen thermal coders in to a single PCMS with other equipment for inkjet coding, barcode labelling and more,’ added Steve Ryan.

‘Coder set-up time has been reduced by over 90 per cent from around two minutes to less than ten seconds per batch. Combined with the elimination of coding errors and the associated rework, we would estimate a financial benefit of approximately 4,000 per line, every year,’ confirmed Graham Williams, quality manager of Dolgarrog Aluminium.