Bacardi Achieves 'Fantastic Results' With Domino A300

Headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, Bacardi Limited is one of the world's leading producers of spirits. The company's 200-strong portfolio of rum, vodka, whisky, gin, vermouth and tequila products includes established global brands such as the eponymous Barcardi rum and Martini vermouth, alongside newcomers such as Bombay Sapphire gin, Bacardi Breezer and Grey Goose vodka. Bacardi's German subsidiary in Buxtehude boasts a production area measuring some 3000 m² and employs almost 300 staff. The site operates three filling lines over two shifts, producing 25 million bottles of spirits annually. This demanding production schedule combined with a commitment to the very highest standards means that Bacardi only utilises the most reliable components in its production operation. Steadily increasing production volumes were the catalyst for a review of coding system requirements on the company's Variopac and Krones lines and the task of identifying a modern, flexible and efficient solution fell to Bacardi Deutschland's Technical Director, Mr Grabow. With many years' experience in the integration of coding systems with a variety of OEM equipment, including that manufactured by Variopac and Krones, Domino Deutschland GmbH was identified as a suitable supplier and its A-Series small character continuous ink jet system as the ideal coding machine. The A300 model selected by Bacardi prints up to four lines in a variety of formats, including text, logos, bar and dot codes, automatic sequential numbering and batch numbers. Mr Grabow states, **One of the reasons Bacardi chose Domino systems was that they represented a universal solution for the various substrates we needed to print on, such as bottle necks, paper labels and cardboard trays. This has resulted in simpler logistics, in turn delivering significant cost reductions. We have also found that the combination of Domino consumables and sophisticated print nozzle technology delivers fantastic results on a broad range of materials.** The simplicity of use and uniform, menu-driven operation of the Domino systems was another key benefit to Bacardi. While the one button function for starting and stopping the system has led to significant time savings and reduced incidence of operator error, the clear, large-format display and keyboard make entering and monitoring data quick and easy. Customised programming ensures maximum flexibility, with different coding systems able to work on the same line according to production requirements. Thanks to its special print head technology, the self-cleaning Domino A-Series produces clear, precise high-resolution print quality at all times, which is vital for legibility and traceability throughout the supply chain. **We really appreciate knowing that we can achieve maximum productivity through the excellent reliability of the Domino systems,** says Mr Grabow. **In addition, if questions arise or if we ever need technical support, we are confident that we can always rely on Domino to help us out quickly and efficiently.**