Formec Biffi achieves coding excellence through Markem-Imaje partnership

Formec Biffi, the renowned Italian sauce and spread specialist, has announced a significant upgrade to its production capabilities through a comprehensive coding and marking integration with Markem-Imaje.

The collaboration has transitioned the company’s 100-specialty portfolio into a fully automated, data-driven environment.

At the heart of the project is a move toward Coding 4.0, where advanced hardware is unified by a single software intelligence layer. This integration allows Formec Biffi — a company that acquired the historic 150-year-old Biffi brand in 1985 — to balance its artisan heritage with the high-speed demands of modern retail.

For food manufacturers, the primary challenge in coding is versatility. Formec Biffi’s production spans a vast array of substrates and formats, from aluminium mayonnaise tubes to flexible film single-portion sachets. To address this, Markem-Imaje has deployed a fleet of diverse technologies:

• Continuous inkjet (CIJ): providing high-speed, versatile coding for primary packaging.
• Thermal transfer overprinting (TTO): ensuring crisp, high-resolution nutritional data on flexible films.
• Laser coding: a key 2025 upgrade for permanent, consumable-free marking on premium lines.
• Print & apply (LPA): automating secondary packaging and pallet labelling for logistics efficiency.

The technical cornerstone of the partnership is the CoLOS data management platform. In a traditional setup, manual code entry is a high-risk touchpoint for human error. CoLOS orchestrates the entire fleet from a centralised location, ensuring that the right message is sent to the right printer at the right time.

“Our evolution is driven by a vision that blends tradition with modernity,” says Ascanio Montani, plant manager at Formec Biffi. “The CoLOS platform ensures message consistency and real-time traceability, providing a complete solution for a partner that strives for excellence every day.”

Beyond operational accuracy, the new system addresses the food industry’s increasing focus on ESG targets. The transition to laser coding, in particular, reduces the environmental footprint by eliminating the need for inks and solvents, while maintaining high print contrast and durability.

Guido Torriglia, sales manager at Markem-Imaje Italy, highlighted the importance of data integrity: “We are especially proud to offer technologies that manage precise real-time data, contributing to the quality and safety that have always distinguished Formec Biffi’s products.”

At a glance:

• Project: full-site coding and marking automation for 100+ sauce specialties.
• Technologies: CIJ, Laser, TTO, Print & Apply.
• Software: CoLOS centralised data management.
• Outcome: reduction in human error, consumable-free laser coding, and real-time traceability.