ATD Ink Jets Guide Jewson Through The Woods

ATD Inkjet Systems have been used to solve product identification problems for one of the UK's leading timber merchants and importers - Jewson.

ATD Inkjet Systems have been used to solve product identification problems for one of the UK's leading timber merchants and importers - Jewson.

With 450 branches with many different product types and profiles in stock, quickly locating the right piece of timber was a major issue for Jewson's staff.

The problem was tackled at two central points where timber from Finland and Sweden arrives in the UK, Hull and Newport Docks.

Market Harborough-based ATD installed seven of its IP9000 industrial printers at Hull, with a further three going to the sister site in Newport, South Wales.

They provided Jewson with inkjet information directly onto the timber.

The information includes a works order code number for complete traceability of each and every piece of material from timber grower to point of sale.

"Before we put meterage labels on by hand but there was nothing to tell anyone where the timber had come from and how long it had been in stock.

Now we have a system, which measures the exact length of each piece of timber that passes under it.

Every single piece gets the length and a works order number printed directly onto the end grain," said Jewson's general manager Richard Smith.

Jewson had discussions and trials with a number of inkjet printing equipment manufacturers and after a six-month trial, ATD had to install a fully engineered system which guaranteed the Jewson product was aligned correctly for printing.

The IP9000 high-resolution printers use information transmitted from a Systek tallybeam system.

They have also given Jewson accreditation from TRADA, the Timber Research and Development Association for quality assurance.

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