Implementing Traceability in the Production Environment: Lessons Learned

MARKEM Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of marking and coding systems designed to meet all of a company's product identification needs from individual products to primary packages, cases and pallets. MARKEM customers include companies in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, wide format graphics and electronics industries, among others.

 

A broad range of industries turn to MARKEM for printing their packages and products with variable information including date and production codes, product identification, bar codes, logos, graphics, real time codes and radio frequency identification (RFID). The company's integrated offerings enable manufacturers to completely automate and support front- to end-of-the-line coding, marking and labeling functions. Full networking capability allows MARKEM to meet the need for systems integration in a wide variety of product identification applications.

 

 

MARKEM offers a wide range of systems solutions comprised of equipment, software, service and supplies. MARKEM Corporation has concentrated its activities in the development of innovative and highly reliable marking and coding systems, which employ a range of technologies, including thermal transfer, hot melt ink jet

and laser, complemented by user-friendly software, systems integration and networking capability. In addition, MARKEM products are designed to meet customers' growing environmental and safety requirements. With a continuing focus on product development, new generations of products will continue to set standards for product performance in terms of image quality, resolution, speed and reliability.

 

 

MARKEM operates from headquarters in Keene, N.H. and at additional manufacturing facilities in San Diego, Calif. and England. MARKEM facilities in Keene and Hanover, N.H., Canada, Singapore and Manchester, England, are certified under ISO 9001.

 

MARKEM has subsidiaries in 17 countries including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, and Switzerland. MARKEM also has agents and representatives in over 50 countries around the world.

 

 

MARKEM traces its roots to New England's shoe industry. In 1911, F.A. Putnam, manager of a Massachusetts company that supplied stitching and marking machines for luggage and shoes, began to experiment with inks that would adhere more effectively to leather. He created an ink of unusual permanence that was ideal for shoe marking. The ink was the first product of the Chemical Specialty Company.

 

Over more than 90 years, MARKEM has ventured strategically into new markets as new printing needs have evolved. In 1936, MARKEM entered the electronics industry when it introduced a durable, quick-drying line of inks as well as unique rubber printing elements to mark radio tubes. In 1950, as consumers tried on clothing made of new fabrics such as rayon, MARKEM introduced its first wash-proof cloth label for the textile and apparel industry.

 

Today, MARKEM is continuing to grow in carefully targeted directions. For example, recognizing the potential of ink jet coding and marking, MARKEM acquired Spectra, Inc., in 1996. Spectra provides impulse ink jet technology for high-performance applications. Also in 1996, MARKEM acquired Prestek, Ltd., a U.K.-based manufacturer of thermal transfer coders and printers and of barcode print-and-apply

label systems. MARKEM made a significant investment toward exploring new technologies in 2000 with the purchase of LaserInk Corporation, a supplier of innovative laser marking systems used for package coding.

 

For more information, please visit our web site at www.markem.us 

or contact Kammie Lombardi at (401) 732-1886.

For product information, please call (866) 263-4644.

 

Mr. Horne is a Solutions Key Account Manager for MARKEM Corporation where he manages strategic relationships with multi-national accounts like Unilever, and Proctor and Gamble. Mr. Horne has 20 years experience in AutoID and RFID providing turn-key middleware software and hardware solutions to both manufacturers and distributions in the food & beverage, CPG, and pharmaceutical industries. His background includes roles with Intermec Corporation, Data Systems International, and Manhattan Associates. Mr. Horne holds a BA from North Carolina State University and an MA from Central Missouri State University. Mr. Horne lives in Kansas City.