Reliable marking for the wood value chain

Mühltal, April 4, 2025 - Connectivity in the wood industry is one of the focus topics at LIGNA 2025 from May 26 to 30 in Hanover. The networking of products, services, processes and infrastructures within the value chain requires high-quality and reliable coding and marking. Whether with ink, laser or labels - the specialist REA Elektronik is a competent and reliable partner to the wood industry with its systems for industrial coding and marking. At LIGNA 2025, it will be showcasing its solutions for the industry's current challenges.

With a focus on applications and in close cooperation with its customers from the woodworking and wood processing industry, REA Elektronik is continuously developing its solutions - be it for the direct marking of surfaces or edges of plywood, chipboard, OSB and fiberboard or construction timber, the large-area application of manufacturer logos on stacked timber or the labeling of wooden strips. The increasing use of wood for sustainable packaging also calls for new coding and marking solutions. REA's systems are convincing in all applications - not least because of the enormous selection of inks for its REA JET product line.

Certified pallet marking from the EPAL partner

Wooden Euro pallets are the classic choice for storage and transportation. The international flow of pallets is organized by EPAL, the European Pallet Organization. According to their plans, the classic EPAL brand stamp will soon be history and the wooden load carriers will be serialized and marked with individual QR codes - as proof of authenticity and for the traceability of each individual pallet. EPAL wants to increase the number of manufacturers so that the required number of pallets is available as quickly as possible. New and existing licensees will benefit from REA's innovative coding and marking system REA JET UP, which is EPAL-certified. UP stands for Universal Print - with its innovative ink formulations, the system prints high-resolution content at high drying speeds on coated and painted surfaces and also on open-pored surfaces such as paper, cardboard and even wood. The marking of soiled pallet blocks is also no problem for the UP.

The REA JET HR 2.0 is also particularly robust in harsh production environments. It can be fitted with an especially robust sliding plate for marking wood: It protects the print head from impacts from transverse boards or slats and brings them into the correct position for printing - on display at LIGNA 2025.

Marking with ink, laser or label

The REA JET DOD 2.0 marks colored pallets with its white inks. The large character inkjet printer is also the method of choice for marking in outdoor areas (at the log yard) and in the "print from below" application. REA JET ST technology is recommended for cutting edge marking and precise dot and line marking within the sorting system. The versatile, high-resolution REA JET High Resolution Inkjet Printer can also be used for a wide range of applications, from the sorting system to the planer to pallets and the production of construction timber.

The REA LASER CL CO2 Laser applies permanent, consumable-free markings to wood: robust and resistant to the most adverse conditions such as temperature fluctuations, humidity, dust pollution and vibration, it applies company logos and dimensions, quality seals, CE and IPPC markings as well as serialization and traceability information to even the most difficult surfaces. Well encased, its application is also no problem in wooden environments.

Where marking is required, but neither ink nor laser should leave permanent traces, REA LABEL's labeling systems and dispensing systems deliver high-resolution label printing for inline applications.

Tailor-made solutions for every situation

So which is the right coding and marking solution for the desired application and production environment? The experts at REA have the right answers. They develop tailor-made solutions for every company that meet its requirements and automation status - from stand-alone solutions to full integration into production and plant control. Thanks to state-of-the-art interfaces, the systems from REA Elektronik are fully Industry 4.0-ready.

"Digital Transformation in the Wood Industry: From Stamp to 2D Code" is the title of a panel discussion by REA on Monday, May 26, 2025, from 5 p.m. on the LIGNA.Stage with well-known representatives of the wood industry, including the German Association of Wood Packaging, Pallets, Export Packaging e.V. (HPE) and the European Pallet Association (EPAL).

Visit REA Elektronik at LIGNA 2025 from May 26 to 30, 2025 in Hanover: Hall 27, Stand B33