Industrial labelling technology is within reach of many manufacturers. Components can be purchased, software licensed, vision systems integrated. What cannot be acquired is a technical team capable of solving problems that are not in any manual. At Etima, we know this well: we have been manufacturing custom labelling machines for over 40 years, and if we have learned anything, it is that the real difference is made by the people behind each machine.
Three levels of solution, one technical team for industrial labelling
At Etima, we work on three levels: fully customised projects, adaptations on proven platforms, and standard machines. This model demands a versatile industrial labelling technical team, capable of moving between the known and what does not yet exist.
Mechanical, electrical and software engineering working as one integrated unit. Not isolated departments, but professionals who design together from day one of every project. This constant exercise creates proprietary knowledge that becomes a strategic asset: difficult to replicate and valuable precisely in the most demanding markets.
The foundation is always a standardised technological base that ensures efficiency and cost control. On top of it, we build the customisation each project requires. It is not about choosing between one or the other, but about making standardisation and customisation coexist: solid base, precise adaptation.
When the challenge is complex, the team makes the difference
A concrete example: a fully custom machine designed to label ophthalmic BFS strips at very high speed. The project demanded exceptional ergonomics for the operator and optimal control cameras verifying the label and variable data on both sides of the product. What started as a unique challenge became the foundation of our BFS Strips Pharma family.
Every machine is, at its core, an integration challenge. Different systems where timelines are critical and requirements are at their maximum. Communication between components must flow smoothly, even when the equipment comes from different manufacturers. Solving that complexity is not about technology: it is about the people who master it.
Artificial vision, 21 CFR Part 11 and OEE: technology that needs a qualified team
21 CFR Part 11 compliance is critical for traceability in pharmaceutical labelling. Our machines undergo exhaustive controls. We adapt to client needs using standard formats such as CSV, XML and PDF to integrate with MES and SCADA systems without adding operational complexity. The goal: compliant systems without compromising plant agility.
Artificial vision technology is another clear example. Current systems verify in real time label positioning, traceability, barcode reading and OCR, sending data directly to servers. But the decisive factor is not the camera — it is how quality requirements are configured and where the threshold between correct product and rejection is set. That decision belongs to the technical team.
The results translate into metrics: reduced changeover times, increased OEE and fewer mislabelled products. Vision systems prevent waste from consecutive defects; an error detected immediately is corrected before it becomes hundreds of rejected units.
Technical support from start to finish
Etima clients particularly value the technical support from the initial project definition through to well after installation. Our After-Sales team responds to any subsequent need: format adaptations, process optimisations, new configurations. This is what we deliver across all our pharmaceutical labelling machines, as well as in cosmetics, food & beverage and chemical sectors.
When the client is involved from the start, the project flows naturally. Collaboration accelerates decisions, reduces lead times and builds lasting trust — especially in the pharmaceutical sector, where requirements are at their highest and the margin for error is minimal.
Technology can be incorporated. Talent and the ability to solve complex problems can only be built with specialised teams that accumulate real knowledge, project after project. That is the strategic investment that allows us to compete where value lies not in the machine, but in those who make it possible.
Do you have a labelling project that requires a specialised technical approach? Contact our team and tell us what you need.