Case Study – Mar-Ne-Váll
Mar-Ne-Váll cuts coding costs with Linx IJ355
Effective, low-maintenance large-character coding on brown cardboard cases at up to 30 cases per minute
Hungarian frozen food producer Mar-Ne-Váll Kft., manufacturer of the popular Ripp-Ropp range of breaded meat products for Central Europe, needed a more economical alternative to case labelling. Following factory reconstruction and modernisation, the company trialled competing solutions and selected the Linx IJ355 for its price/value ratio, performance and print quality.
| Industry | Food – Frozen breaded meat products |
| Printer | Linx IJ355 Case coder |
| Application | Direct coding on brown cardboard outer cases |
| Outcome | Lower costs, reduced downtime and premium print quality |
The Challenge
As production increased after the factory reconstruction and modernisation, labelling outer cases was no longer economical.
Mar-Ne-Váll needed direct case coding that could keep pace with production, maintain premium print quality and minimise maintenance stoppages.
Key Issues:
- Case labelling had become uneconomic at the company’s production level.
- The new solution needed to code up to 30 brown cardboard cases per minute.
- Each message could include text, logos and EAN13 barcodes.
- Productivity needed to be maintained while maintenance stoppages were kept to a minimum.
- Running costs, consumable waste, print quality and simple code selection were key considerations.
Linx Featured Products and Solutions
The Linx Solution
Mar-Ne-Váll studied and tested several products from multiple manufacturers on its production line. Following a successful trial, it selected the Linx IJ355, supplied by Linx’s Hungarian distributor partner, Printec Kft., because the Linx and Printec proposition offered the best price/value ratio.
Installed to print directly onto brown cardboard outer cases, the IJ355 codes at up to 30 cases per minute. It can apply text, logos and EAN13 barcodes while its simple user interface supports clear, error-free code selection.
By switching from labels to direct printing, Mar-Ne-Váll gained a low-cost coding approach that supports effective production without sacrificing output.
The ReFRESH® ink system maintains premium print quality and avoids wasted ink during printhead cleaning, saving the time and money normally lost to purging procedures. The IJ355’s robust design and tough stainless-steel nozzle guard protect the printhead from possible box impacts while allowing it to remain close enough to the packaging for superior print quality.
What Happened Next
- Factory reconstruction and modernisation created the opportunity to replace case labels with direct coding.
- Several products from multiple manufacturers were studied and tested.
- A successful production-line trial confirmed the Linx IJ355 as the preferred solution.
- Printec Kft. supplied the printer and supported the Hungarian installation.
- The system began coding brown outer cases with text, logos and EAN13 barcodes at up to 30 cases per minute.
How much could you save by replacing labels with direct box coding?
Calculate the impact of label cost, labour time and pre-printed box inventory.
Results & Business Impact
“We decided to switch from labelling to printing, because our production reached the level where the labelling was not economic any more. We are saving a lot with this modification. We studied and tested several products from many manufacturers and we found the price/value ratio is best from Linx and Printec. We are satisfied with the performance and print quality.”
– Jozsef Veszelovszki, Production Director, Mar-Ne-Váll Kft.
Since implementation, Mar-Ne-Váll has benefited from:
- Direct cost savings from replacing case labels with on-box printing.
- Effective coding at up to 30 brown cardboard cases per minute.
- Text, logos and EAN13 barcodes produced with premium print quality.
- Productivity maintained with maintenance stoppages kept to a minimum.
- Reduced consumable waste through the ReFRESH® ink system.
- Greater printhead protection from the stainless-steel nozzle guard.
Why It Worked
The Linx IJ355 delivered the combination Mar-Ne-Váll prioritised:
- Successful performance in a production-line trial
- Best price/value ratio among the products assessed
- Lower-cost direct coding compared with labelling
- Simple, clear and error-free code selection
- Premium print quality with low-waste ink management
- Robust construction and practical printhead protection
Together, these capabilities created a dependable coding solution that reduces cost, protects productivity and supports the continued growth of the Ripp-Ropp range.
Conclusion
Linx Printing Technologies and Printec Kft. provided Mar-Ne-Váll with a robust, easy-to-use coding solution suited to its modernised frozen-food operation. The Linx IJ355 combines direct-to-case printing, premium code quality and low-waste ink management, helping the Hungarian producer replace uneconomic labelling while coding up to 30 cases per minute.
This case study demonstrates how production-line trials and the right large-character coding technology can reduce packaging costs, minimise downtime and maintain reliable identification on secondary food packaging.