Proper product marking is an absolute necessity across the beverage industry. Whether you're a billion-dollar brewery or a local kombucha outfit, you must mark your goods with required codes and markings to satisfy legal requirements and distribution chain policies.
For over 30 years, InkJet, Inc. has helped beverage companies of all sizes and specialties achieve code compliance. With our diverse marking hardware and vast ink portfolio, we can provide you with a custom-designed product-marking solution tailored to your needs.
Here's how our solutions can help you comply with strict regulations, foster supply chain traceability, streamline quality assurance processes, and prevent distribution complications.
InkJet, Inc’s Beverage Coding and Marking Solutions Help You Comply with Strict Regulations
Beverage product markings enable full supply chain traceability, aid quality assurance processes, and prevent customers from consuming expired goods. If products codes are illegible, improperly applied, or absent altogether, you may experience the following:
- Product recalls
- Fines
- Distribution agreement termination (in extreme cases)
These issues are serious, but you can easily avoid them with the right marking solution.
InkJet, Inc. carries diverse printing hardware, laser solutions, and other marking technology to help beverage companies of all sizes comply with strict guidelines. By working closely with our sales team, you will be able to find a marking system that can:
- Apply lot codes, expiration dates, and other required codes on all of your products
- Fit well into your existing line setup
- Resist harsh environmental factors
Beverage Coding and Marking Solutions for Companies of All Sizes and Specialties
Beverage packaging has no “one size fits all” marking solution. Every company has unique output requirements, facility concerns, and line considerations influencing solution viability.
When searching for a beverage packaging coding solution, you must consider multiple factors, including the following:
- Production quotas
- Facility humidity and temperature levels
- Packaging material
- Substrate shape
- Line configuration
- Upfront and ongoing cost factors
This table displays the general specs of our different beverage packaging technologies. Additional information for each option can be located further below. Click the title in the table’s leftmost column to jump to a specific solution.
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Beverage Coding and Marking Options |
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Continuous Inkjet Printers: DuraCode Touchscreen, Keyboard, and Pigment
Continuous inkjet (CIJ) printers are non-contact production line printing systems designed to mark substrates moving at 300 m/min and above. CIJ printers operate up to 24 hours daily without downtime because they’re built with powerful ink circulation systems. Further, they are compatible with diverse formulas and utilize versatile printheads, which equip users to mark most beverage packaging materials, including:
- Paperboard cartons
- Aluminum cans and bottles
- Glass bottles
- Plastic bottles
- Tetra Pak® and aseptic packaging
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All DuraCode systems can mark porous and non-porous substrates at speeds up to 320 m/min. Equipped with an IP55 outer structure and able to operate in temperatures ranging from 41-113° F, the DuraCode CIJ can withstand potentially hazardous environmental elements to deliver consistently excellent results.
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See the chart below for a closer look at the DuraCode models’ most important specifications.
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Thermal Inkjet Printers: Anser X1, A1, and U2 Models
Thermal inkjet (TIJ) printers are smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective than CIJ systems. While CIJ systems typically weigh around 100 lbs and can cost well over $10,000, most TIJ models weigh 5-10 lbs and cost as low as $1,499.00.
Although thermal inkjet systems are compact and lightweight, they offer impressive coding specifications. For example, the Anser U2 Smart can create 400 x 300 DPI codes up to 0.5” tall (1” tall with the Anser U2 SmartOne). Higher-end TIJs like the Anser X1 can create 600 x 600 DPI codes up to 2” tall with stitched printheads. These qualities enable TIJ operators to complete product marking tasks and case coding applications.
TIJ printers are often designed for slower speed lines and intermittent coding tasks, but some TIJ models also offer high-speed capabilities. InkJet, Inc. carries numerous TIJ printers of varying specialties and price points. Our current options include:
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The Anser U2 Smart is InkJet, Inc’s most affordable printer option. Available for $1,499.00, the Anser U2 Smart is compatible with porous and semi-porous packaging, such as cardboard boxes and paperboard containers. The system’s max speed is 76.2 m/min, and the max resolution is 400 x 300 DPI. The stock U2 Smart has a max 0.5” print height, while the Anser U2 SmartOne has a max 1” print height. |
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Compact and cost-effective, the Anser U2 Pro-S is a great choice for beverage operations that don’t require CIJ-level marking speeds. Like the Anser U2 Smart and SmartOne, the Anser U2 Pro-S has 76.2 m/min max speed and 400 x 300 DPI max resolution. However, the Anser U2 Pro-S is compatible with more materials, as the printer can mark porous, semi-porous, and non-porous substrates. These features make the Anser U2 Pro-S compatible with most cans, bottles, and other containers. |
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The first all-in-one TIJ that offers 2” printing and mid-message DPI adjustments, the Anser A1 is both powerful and affordable. Built with two cartridge slots, the A1 can create 2” tall markings with varying DPI elements (e.g., 300 DPI QR code with 150 DPI text). These qualities make the A1 an excellent case-coding printer. The A1 maxes out at 300 m/min for product marking applications with certain cartridges. Users control the A1 through a large touchscreen interface. |
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Even though the Anser X1 is a thermal inkjet printer, you wouldn’t know that from its spec sheet. With printing speeds up to 300 m/min, the Anser X1 is one of the most powerful TIJs on the market today. Beyond industrial speed marking, the Anser X1 offers a 600 DPI max resolution, a 3.87” max print height (with stitched printheads), IP66 protection, and the ability to control two production lines simultaneously. |
See the chart below for a closer look into how our TIJ options compare to one another:
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Laser Marking Solutions: Fiber, CO2, and UV Laser Models
Laser marking systems are perfect for beverage packaging companies that require high coding speeds, reliable accuracy, and exceptional code appearance. For example, large-scale bottling operations frequently use laser systems to meet demanding quotas, minimize coding errors, and enhance their products’ visual appeal. As laser marking systems have become more affordable, they have also become increasingly popular with smaller-scale companies as well.
Laser systems are more expensive than TIJ and CIJ printers upfront but do not use consumables. Moreover, they have minimal maintenance needs and do not require annual servicing. Depending on your product output, these factors make laser marking more cost-effective than inkjet printing.
Inkjet Inc. offers four laser models:
- F8100F Fiber Laser Marking Machine
- F8100C CO2 Laser Marking Machine
- LDR 7100 Laser Marking System (CO2 System)
- F8100U UV Laser Marking Machine
Our laser systems offer similar specifications and benefits. The F8100F, F8100C, LDR7100, and F8100U provide:
- Marking speeds up to 2000 characters/sec.
- 24/7 uninterrupted coding
- Reliable ingress protections
- Long laser tube life
- Enhanced high-resolution mark quality
- Plug-and-play laser module for easy line replacement
- User-friendly control panel via computer or smartphone app
Material compatibility is the main difference between our laser options. Fiber, CO2, and UV lasers produce beams of different wavelengths. Beam wavelength significantly influences material compatibility, so it’s essential to understand which laser technology best suits your substrates as you consider various options.
This chart illustrates the material compatibility of fiber, CO2, and UV laser systems:
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See the chart below for a closer look into our laser systems’ most important specifications.
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High-Resolution Case Coders: Precision Series 18mm & 72mm
High-resolution case coders (hi-res) excel at placing high-quality images and codes on porous substrates.
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As case coding solutions, Precision Series systems enable users to replace physical shipping labels with printed codes, text, and images. Direct printing holds numerous benefits over manual labeling, including: By streamlining the case coding process and minimizing errors, Precision Series printers can enhance your secondary and tertiary packaging processes. |
 
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See the chart below for a closer look into the Precision Series’ most important specifications:
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Print-and-Apply Label Machine: Evolabel Systems
Print-and-apply labeling machines (PALM) streamline the labeling process by continuously creating and applying labels to passing products or shipping cartons. Predominantly used to label shipping cartons, PALM systems can complete primary, secondary, and tertiary applications with the right equipment.
Users can customize their print-and-apply labelers to complete specific tasks. PALM systems are made of multiple components, with two of the most important being:
- The printer module, which prints labels on-demand
- The label applicator, which dispenses and applies each label to a product, carton, or pallet
By selecting the ideal printer/applicator combo, you can use a PALM system to efficiently label the most popular beverage packaging substrates, including:
- Cardboard boxes
- Paperboard cartons
- Aluminum cans and bottles
- Glass bottles
- Rigid plastic containers
- Plastic bottles
- Tetra Pak® and aseptic packaging
- Flexible packaging
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The Evolabel Print-and-Apply Labeler is InkJet, Inc’s PALM option. Evolabel systems are compatible with three different printer modules: We offer numerous applicators to fulfill diverse packaging requirements. Available applicators include |
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Investing in an Evolabel system simplifies your package labeling process, reduces the risk of error, and maximizes packaging efficiency.
Inks for Every Major Beverage Packaging Material
Marking hardware is just one piece of the beverage coding puzzle. If you’re using a printer to mark your bottles or cans, it’s essential to have an ink formula that is both compatible with your packaging materials and able to withstand factors like:
- Facility conditions
- Product processing
- Distribution and storage conditions
Fortunately, finding the perfect formula isn’t hard when you can access InkJet, Inc.’s diverse ink catalog. We have been developing inks in-house for over 30 years, and today, we have formulas available for the most popular beverage packaging materials, including:
Beyond standard formulas, we also offer a variety of specialty inks ideal for traditionally challenged beverage packaging processes. Some of our most popular specialty inks provide the following properties:
- Heat-resistance
- Alcohol-resistance
- Moisture-resistance
- Ultra-fast drying times
- High contrast opacity