Alpha Dot systems can assist your business by:

• Consistently producing high quality coding
• Meet latest supermarket bar code requirements
• Integrate with your ERP or SAP systems
• Print Best before dates / batch No’s / integration with check weighers etc
• Full network capability
• Create global trade item numbers (GTINs) for outer cases
• Print industry standard EAN.UCC bar codes
• Printing bar codes with on-demand printing equipment
• Checking bar code quality with ISO/IEC compliant verifiers
• Upgrade path – inkjet and print and apply systems designed for RFID

Bar Coding Solution Provider Accreditation

Alpha Dot was the first UK company to be awarded Accredited Solution Provider status for bar coding by GS1 UK, the authority on global cross sector supply chain standards.

If your coding requirement is full box printing or just basic date coding Alpha Dot have the right equipment for the job.

Alpha Dot Products for high quality secondary package printing
Alpha Dot systems produce dynamic printing of identifying marks onto various porous substrates including cardboard and wood. We provide a broad range of solutions from basic date coding to full box printing. Alpha Dot’s ability to innovate has been key to the company’s success. These next generation printing solutions are sold throughout the world. Our solutions are used for identification marks accompanying products through the manufacturing, distribution and retail environments. Ideal for traceability and quality assurance; providing the best in total supply chain management. Alpha Dot systems provide compelling business benefits for users including; increased efficiency through automation; greater productivity due to improved inventory control; increased sales by reducing out of stock situations; traceability and increased customer satisfaction.

First bar code accredited company in UK
In February 2004 Alpha Dot became the first UK Company to be awarded Accredited Solution Provider Status for bar coding by GS1 UK (formerly e.centre), the authority on global cross sector supply chain standards.

Alpha Dot staff received two levels of training, each followed by an examination. Alpha Dot then underwent a formal quality management process audit, conducted by GS1 UK.

Alpha Dot successfully completed a GS1 UK audit that certified that knowledge of the EAN.UCC system for bar codes was embedded within Alpha Dot's processes and systems.

ISO 9001:2000

Alpha Dot is accredited to BS EN ISO 9001:2000 by the British Standards Institute (BSI). Our certificate No: FM 90375.

The scope of Alpha Dot's registration is:

The design, manufacture, installation and servicing of industrial inkjet printers and associated systems.
The provision of customer training for the above.

Supermarket suppliers choose Alpha Dot knowing their solutions are compliant
Alpha Dot products meet the strict acceptance standards as laid down by the independent authority for acceptance of bar codes. For example the minimum acceptance of ITF14 printed to a grade D (0.5) and EAN128 printed to a grade C (1.5). The governing factor is determined by the contrast between the substrate material and the printed bars. These strict standards are now being enforced in the UK. Failure to meet the latest standards results not only in punitive fines, but also additional costs for the supplier to re-package their products and the possibility of losing future business.

Traceability – why should you care?

Traceability, tracking & tracing and safety (product, consumer and patient) are becoming hot topics for businesses worldwide. Consumers are more aware of issues, businesses are trying to protect their brands and regulatory bodies are developing and strengthening laws to protect consumers.

Safety affects all products and there are many recent examples of product recalls for food, toys, furniture and cars. So knowing where a problem has occurred and where products are if something does go wrong is vital.

For this reason, businesses need sound traceability systems that enable them to quickly and confidently identify the problem, products affected and location/position of affected products. To achieve this companies have two options: implement a proprietary solution or use open, global and multi-sectorial standards such as the EAN.UCC system.

What do companies need to do?

In the food industry food safety has become an important issue and the recent food crises in Europe have increased debate on the subject. The European Union has responded with a new law EU Regulation 178/2002 (General food law), that sets down procedures on food safety with article 18 of the regulation requiring businesses involved in food and feed production, supply and distribution to implement traceability systems. A similar law – the bio terrorism act has been implemented in the United States.

Food industry

In the EU, different member states are taking different approaches with the UK leaving it to businesses to determine the extent and type of their traceability system. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has produced draft guidelines which state that the unit of tracing should be at batch or lot level where reference to the EAN.UCC standards for identification and bar coding is made.

By contrast, other states are taking a more stringent approach producing additional requirements, which favour automated traceability systems. Belgium has adopted legislation that appears to be more rigorous than the EU provisions and The Netherlands takes the view that traceability under Regulation 178/2002 is too general and does not guarantee a rapid traceability process.

UK businesses that have presence in other EU countries should therefore be aware that even if they may not have to do much to comply with the Food Standards Agency’s requirements, other countries might have tougher regulations.

Also, major customers in some countries have come together and agreed on a common approach For example, the Nordic countries have produced guidelines for traceability based on the EAN.UCC system and companies selling to the sector will have to comply with these requirements.

Security issues have resulted in the Bio-terrorism act of 2002 in the US which has some similar requirements to the EU General Food Law so this is not only an EU issue.

Healthcare

Patient safety is the main reason behind the interest in traceability in the healthcare industry. The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) has recommended that all products supplied to the NHS be identified using a bar code compliant with EAN.UCC standards. The use of standardised bar coding across the NHS supply chain will stakeholders to track and trace products such as medicine and medical devices and accurately identify and administer them – ultimately improving patient safety.

Other activities within the NHS will see an increased need to use standardised bar codes. These activities include:

• Patient identification to ensure that the right patient gets the right care
• Traceability of samples
• Tracking and tracing of medical devices for inventory management and to ensure that they go through the right processes such as decontamination

Why Alpha Dot recommends EAN.UCC

Some companies may feel confident that they can achieve traceability using manual or paper-based systems. But automated traceability systems are faster and more accurate. For example, statistics show that manually keying a 20-character data field would take 10 seconds while bar code scanning takes 4 seconds. Manual keying in has an error rate of one in every 300 characters entered compared to scanned information that is less than one error per 1,000,000 characters entered.

http://www.gs1uk.org GS1 UK (formerly e.centre) adds value to members' businesses by delivering and supporting the adoption of cross sector, global supply chain standards. Using GS1 standards for bar coding, electronic business messaging, data synchronisation and through EPCglobal, radio frequency identification technology, members can enhance product visibility, reduce costs, increase stock availability and improve customer safety.