For the first time in the chemical industry, it will soon be possible to track and trace individual steel or PE drums and intermediate bulk containers (IBC) by way of an automated system. In case damaged containers are identified, individual drums can be very quickly targeted, tracked down and recalled. For this purpose, BASF has played a pioneering role in its sector by originating a procedure that has now been adopted by the German chemical industry association VCI in its voluntary standard VPA 9. BASF defined the labeling solution required for the new application, based on QR codes with defined constituents, in close collaboration with the self-adhesive solutions specialist HERMA. The integrated system consists of tailored special adhesives, label materials and the corresponding labeling technology. According to BASF, the first container manufacturers have started to implement the labeling solution in compliance with VPA 9. In addition, a pilot project in Ludwigshafen, involving the filling of toluene diisocyanate (TDI), has already been brought to a successful conclusion. Alongside BASF, other leading German chemical companies intend to recommend the procedure to their container manufacturers in the near future. “Production defects affecting individual drums can occur from time to time,” explains Hilar Altenhofer, who heads the packaging consultant team at BASF. “In such cases, it’s important to localize the drums as quickly as possible and take them out of circulation.” Until now, this has entailed a laborious manual search, not least because it’s almost impossible to tell many containers apart simply by appearance. BASF, for example, ships several million standard steel drums with a capacity of 216.5 liters worldwide every year – most of them in RAL color 5010 gentian blue. “From the outside. there’s no way of knowing whether or how they are coated inside, or how thick the walls are. To get the answers, in the past every drum had to be inspected individually,” says Altenhofer.
Outstanding reliability is key
The QR Code as per VPA 9, which is produced according to standard GS1, includes the container number as recorded in the SAP system of BASF, a supplier number, the production site, the container batch number and a serial number, so that each individual container can be identified unequivocally. Looking forward, the QR code will enable BASF to automate the pre-filling security check verifying that the container is approved for the intended purpose, which is currently performed manually, and thus accelerate, simplify and, in particular, enhance the reliability of the process. Once the container has been filled, the QR code is linked to the order number and stored in a database. “Given that the entire system depends on the QR code, highly reliable labeling technology, unimpeded code readability and diverse security aspects are critical factors,” comments Alexander Rothmund, the BASF packaging consultant who supervised the pilot project. “For this reason, we decided against direct printing and laser applications in this instance. Instead, we joined forces with HERMA, with whom we’ve been working closely together for many years, to create an integrated system based on labels.” In view of its comprehensive skill set in self-adhesive technology – from adhesives and labels to labeling systems – HERMA was predestined for this role. One of the challenges was to configure labels for the most diverse range of applications possible, offering seawater resistance in compliance with British Standard (BS) 5609 Sections 2 and 3, allowing hot filling, and providing perfect compatibility with thermal transfer ribbons. In addition, the print & apply system must be able to keep pace with the demanding cycle speeds that apply in container production, and accommodate different container sizes. “This coordinated system makes good sense and discourages individual container manufacturers from developing their own sophisticated solutions, especially since labeling technology – certainly in this configuration – represents uncharted territory for some of them,” remarks Rothmund. “For us, it was important that container manufacturers could now plan for the future on a secure basis. Those we have spoken to already have expressed their appreciation of the enhanced transparency that the new solution will bring to their own production operations. Some manufacturers have asked us to integrate their serial numbers in the QR code so that they can use the system for their own specific purposes.”
