Agricultural Manufacturer Increases Efficiency 5 to 1

Colony and Matthews Marking Solutions helps Pennsylvania-based fertilizer producer flourish with 60% faster production and 75% labor reduction 

Industry:  Agrochemical  

Application: Automated marking 

Products: MPERIA L1 Thermal Ink Jet Printers 

Intro/Summary 

A global custom-blend fertilizer company needed to level up their manual bag and box marking process. Partnering with Colony Packaging and Matthews Marking Solutions, they implemented a game-changing solution using Matthews’ L-Series thermal inkjet printing system. This simple-but-powerful upgrade reduced their production time by 60% and their labor requirements by 75% — greatly streamlining operations while simultaneously improving mark quality and consistency. The transition was seamless, delivering immediate benefits and rapid ROI.  

The Challenge

Outdated marking method: In central Pennsylvania, a custom-blend fertilizer company with a global customer base faced a critical production bottleneck. Their 100,000-square-foot facility, housing three production lines, was struggling with an outdated and labor-intensive marking method. 

Labor-intensive hand stencils: The production staff were manually stenciling product information onto flat LPDE plastic bags prior to filling and flat corrugated boxes prior to erecting. The stencils used rolling ink in a labor-intensive process that was not only time-consuming but also physically demanding for the workers. It took a team of three to four people several days to apply the hand stencils to each batch of a few thousand bags or boxes . 

A need for Increased efficiency, accuracy and clarity: The general manager and production manager recognized that their current labeling process was becoming a significant obstacle to scaling operations and meeting market needs. They needed a solution that could increase production efficiency while maintaining the high standards of accuracy and clarity needed to ensure distributors and farmers could readily recognize products and use them safely. The company turned to their vendor, Colony Packaging, to help craft a solution to deliver on these key needs. 

The Solution 

Recognizing the unique challenges faced by their client, Colony Packaging partnered with Matthews Marking Solutions to devise a custom solution that would deliver a game-changing upgrade to the company’s marking process. 

Simplicity and seamless integration: The result is a simple-but-powerful solution built around Matthews’ L-Series high-resolution thermal inkjet printers, driven by the MPERIA® controller, and installed on a custom conveyor print table. This solution seamlessly integrates into the existing production line, greatly reducing the amount of labor required.

Key features of the Matthews Marking L-Series solution include:

• Versatile Printheads: The solution utilizes 12 L1 printheads, stitched together and controlled by a single MPERIA® controller. Each printhead delivers a mark that is up to 3” tall by any length.  

• Superior Ink Performance: Matthews’ in-house ink engineering ensures unparalleled performance on various substrates. 

• Minimal Downtime: Cartridge-based printheads require virtually no maintenance and can be swapped in seconds. 

• Scalability: The MPERIA® controller allows easy expansion from one printhead to multiple printheads across additional lines. 
• User-Friendly Interface: A single, intuitive interface controls all printheads and ensures future scalability by integrating easily with 3rd-party coding technologies. 

Two-day install: Installation was remarkably efficient, taking only two days on-site. Colony and Matthews worked hand-in-hand to ensure a smooth transition, providing comprehensive training to the production team. 

No change to packaging needed: One of the most significant advantages was the fact that the new solution did not require any changes to the packaging. This, along with the fast implementation, meant that the company experienced almost no disruption to their output.

The Results 

The implementation of Matthews Marking’s L-Series inkjet marking solution to replace the manual stenciling process delivered immediate and significant improvements to the fertilizer company’s operations.  

Dramatic Time Savings: A task that once took several people multiple days to complete has been compressed into a single day. This 60% reduction in production time allows the company to respond more quickly to customer demands and increase overall output. 

Increased Labor Efficiency: The new system reduces labor requirements by 75%, allowing the company to reassign three team members to different areas of production. This not only optimizes workforce allocation but also improves employee satisfaction by reducing tedious manual tasks. 

Improved Quality and Consistency: The L-Series printheads deliver excellent consistency and readability, which enhances product appearance and reduces the risk of misidentification. 

Greater Ease of Use: Operators who once spent hours carefully stenciling boxes now oversee an efficient, high-tech process.  

Easier Scalability for Future Growth: The solution addresses both immediate challenges and also positions the company for easy expansion with the MPERIA print controllers. 

Solid Foundation for New Growth: By addressing their labeling bottleneck, the fertilizer company not only solved their immediate problem but also unlocked new potential for growth and efficiency. The Matthews Marking solution proved to be a pivotal investment, transforming a labor-intensive process into a streamlined operation ready for the challenges of modern agricultural supply.