A product code is a unique value attributed to individual products that are ready to be marketed for sale. Product coding is used in many industries by every business to ensure they can trace their products during dispatch and beyond. The most prominent type of product coding is the universal code (also known as the barcode); a common identifier for any item sold. There are many benefits to this system, and it is pretty much integral for any manufacturing business to use marking and coding to identify and trace the products that they make and sell.
The History of Product Coding
Product coding was a system that Andrew Bradley Jackson invented. He invented the Bradley Stencil Machine in 1893 to expedite cargo and dispatch on the Mississippi River. This reshaped the way companies shipped their products and revolutionized manufacturing dispatches and organization. The stencil machine developed over time, and its legacy started Diagraph, a marking and coding solutions company.
Although the stencil machine has changed immensely since 1893, the concept and its benefits remain largely the same. This blog will highlight several integral benefits of product coding.
It Saves Time
Using product coding helps any manufacturing business save time. It removes the need for manual data entry, and so it cuts out any unnecessary manual work. Information passed by code takes seconds, and automated machines can process it efficiently. In any company where hundreds and thousands of products are sold in a month, it is a very efficient way to keep track of what has been sold, where it is, and how much it sold for. Time-saving in this way will mount up and save any company hours of work, and therefore will reduce costs.
It Results in Fewer Errors
Applying product codes in the manufacturing process means that fewer errors will occur. This is essential for cost-cutting and time management. Barcode systems, for example, reduce the number of errors in data production, especially data that is entered manually. Today’s coding and marking machines and products are almost error-free.
It Helps with Food Safety
One industry where product coding is of the utmost importance is in food production. Any food or beverage company will need to use legible and durable marks as this is essential for ensuring the safety of food items. Codes could include use-by and sell-by dates, which help customers know the shelf-life of any edible consumable.
For example, in the dairy industry, it is integral that products are marked correctly as dairy foods often only last around 20 days. Furthermore, the materials in which these products are contained can be cold or hard to mark, so it is essential to prioritize what equipment you use during this process.
It is Cost-Efficient
Each of the above benefits will help with overall cost efficiency. Understandably, the equipment will be costly, but this initial outlay will be worth it in the long run; so any manufacturing company should invest in the best coding and marking equipment to ensure they can save time and costs, while at the same time enhancing efficiency.
