Sato, the Japanese multinational operating in Italy since 2006 and providing solutions for the identification and traceability of products, is aiming at sustainability and innovation. In 2021 the company was awarded the "Encouragement Award for Invention" at the "Kanto Region Invention Awards" event sponsored by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII). Sato's award-winning patented technology makes it possible to accurately configure the initial print position, thus avoiding unnecessary paper waste in the packaging process. Even the labelling of goods can, in fact, contribute to sustainability.
The Encouragement Award for Invention is an initiative geared to encouraging and promoting innovation, thus contributing to the improvement of science and technology in the Japanese industry. The first national award ceremony was held in 1919. Since 1921, regional events have been set up to promote local industry and the initiatives of researchers and engineers who, with their creativity, have developed important innovations. Numerous awards have been awarded over the years in the fields of chemicals and electronic technology.
Thanks to the adoption of automatic identification systems, the printing of labels - traditionally fundamental to improve the organization of packaging operations - has also become essential to optimize the productivity of companies. This is especially true for some sectors such as the food industry, where the label on the packaging must contain all the information necessary to guarantee the quality of the products and their traceability. Since 2018, in fact, it is mandatory to indicate on the label the location of the production plant and, if different, the packaging plant. Equally important is the healthcare sector, one of the most subject to rules, by which the lawmakers are particularly careful in defining traceability processes to safeguard public health. In this context, packaging is a process that must contribute to corporate sustainability, also through the reduction of waste.
Thanks to the innovation introduced, the new Sato label printers are able to produce accurate prints right from the very first label on the tape. The technology is based on a sensor and a backward tape wrapping system, which makes it possible to identify the size of the labels, then proceed with maximum accuracy from the first print.
