The pet food market is thriving, lucrative, and diverse. With rising adoption rates, growing interest in premium formulas, and an increased reliance on e-commerce, the industry is expanding rapidly, leading pet food manufacturers to boost production to meet growing demand.
Just like human food, pet food companies must label their products with specific codes and markings to comply with federal regulations, state laws, and distribution network policies. Pet food manufacturers need to implement efficient and reliable packaging workflows to comply with these strict requirements.
In addition to static label items such as the product name, manufacturer location, and ingredients, manufacturers and co-packers are required to include traceable codes on pet food packaging. These codes include:
- Lot codes
- Expiration dates
- Serial numbers
- Barcodes/data matrices
InkJet, Inc’s industrial marking technologies help pet food operations apply code-compliant markings quickly and accurately. We carry numerous inkjet printer models, laser coding systems, and print-and-apply labelers to accommodate different line setups, coding requirements, and substrates.
Here’s how we can help your company with marking and coding pet food packaging:
InkJet, Inc’s Solutions for Marking and Coding Pet Food Packaging
In recent decades, high-profile pet food recalls have highlighted the importance of industry traceability. Lot codes, batch numbers, expiration dates, and other traceable markings protect animal safety and facilitate efficient operations by:
- Aiding quality assurance processes
- Assisting supply chain management
- Enhancing recall management
- Logging and sourcing every product ingredient
InkJet, Inc. helps pet food companies create code-compliant product packaging by offering diverse marking technologies. Our solutions include inkjet printers, laser marking systems, and print-and-apply labelers that excel in different capacities.
This table lists our various pet food packaging solutions and their general specifications. Additional information on each option can be located further below. Click the title in the table’s leftmost column to jump to a specific section.
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Pet Food Packaging Marking and Coding 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. Built with powerful ink circulation systems, CIJ printers can operate up to 24 hours daily without downtime. The wide ink compatibility and versatile printheads of CIJ printers equip users to mark diverse pet food packaging materials, including:
- Corrugated boxes
- Paperboard cartons
- Aluminum cans, foil, and bottles
- Plastic bags
- Glass bottles
- Plastic bottles
- Tetra Pak® and aseptic packaging
- Flexible packaging
- Shrinkwrap and flexible film
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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 as well as case coding applications
TIJ printers are often designed for slower speed lines and intermittent coding tasks, but some TIJ models offer high-speed capabilities as well. 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, paperboard cartons, and wood. 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 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, for the printer can mark porous, semi-porous, and non-porous substrates. |
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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 2 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. For product marking applications, the A1 maxes out at 300 m/min 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 simultaneously control two production lines. |
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 pet food packaging companies that require high coding speeds, reliable accuracy, and exceptional code appearance. For example, large-scale pet food operations frequently use laser systems to meet demanding quotas, minimize coding errors, and enhance product visual appeal. As laser marking systems have become more affordable, they have become increasingly popular with smaller-scale companies as well.
Laser systems are more expensive than TIJ and CIJ printers upfront, but they do not use any consumables. Moreover, they have minimal maintenance needs and do not require annual servicing. Depending on your product output, these factors can actually 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 important to understand which laser technology is best suited for your substrates as you consider your system 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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Slower than CIJ, TIJ, and laser marking systems, hi-res systems like InkJet, Inc’s Precision Series 18mm and Precision Series 72mm are ideal for secondary and tertiary packaging tasks. High-resolution case coders use powerful piezoelectric printheads to create large messages, intricate graphics, and stark images. Hi-res ink is oil-based and thicker than CIJ or TIJ ink, making hi-res codes more durable and visually appealing. 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 labels and applying them 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 most popular pet food 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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By investing in an Evolabel system, you can simplify your package labeling process, reduce the risk of error, and maximize packaging efficiency.
High-Quality Inks for Marking & Coding Pet Food Packaging
Hardware is just one element of the pet food packaging puzzle. Unless you have a laser system, you must also consider which ink formula will best meet your coding needs. Key considerations include:
- Packaging material
- Substrate shape
- Facility environment
- Required dry time
- Code color
- Durability
InkJet, Inc. has developed high-quality ink formulas for over 30 years. Our comprehensive ink catalog contains formulas for all major packaging forms, as well as formulas with special properties. Notable properties include:
- Superior substrate adhesion
- Ultra-quick dry times
- Alcohol resistance
- Heat resistance
- Sunlight resistance
- Food safe qualities
- Extreme temperature resistance
- Oil/grease penetration
- Condensation penetration
- Soft and hard pigmentation
We also offer custom ink services for unique applications and situations.
