In the spirit of excellence: Videojet and Bushmills celebrate three decades of partnership

During a 30-year partnership with the Bushmills whiskey brand, Videojet Technologies has supported the heritage spirit maker with brand growth and regulatory compliance by supplying cutting-edge coding and marking machines. Videojet’s technology, including six VJ3340 CO2 laser printers and six Large Character Marking (LCM) machines, has played a pivotal role in maintaining Bushmills’ production efficiency. 

Bushmills, home to the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, has a history dating back to 1608. Videojet’s machinery operates over seven levels in the distillery’s protected buildings, where space is limited and modifications to the structure aren’t possible. 

The VJ3340 CO2 lasers are instrumental in marking glass bottles with unique identifiers and production details. The CLARiSOFT message creation software ensures precise and customisable information on the bottles and cases, making it ideal for larger-scale production lines. 

The Large Character Markers (LCM) from Videojet have significantly improved secondary packaging for Bushmills. These printers replace the labour-intensive task of hand-rolling ink templates on boxes, offering a clean and efficient solution. The LCM printers can apply large characters of 3mm to 70mm in height, making them suitable for various product information needs. 

Bushmills’ Bottling Hall Manager, James Dysart, commends the impact of Videojet’s LCM printers, which have saved time and enhanced the brand’s image by providing clear and precise information on secondary packaging. He said: “Many brands don’t pay attention to their secondary packaging, but we know that when our whiskey is sat on a runway waiting to be loaded, or in a shipping container in a port, it’s a marketing opportunity. We give the same attention to the print quality on our shipping boxes as we do to the labels on the bottles. Bushmills stands for quality and this needs to come through at every point.” 

Videojet’s machinery ensures smooth operations and minimal disruption, vital for Bushmills’ success. Videojet Remote Support (VRS) offers online fault diagnosis and repair, often resolving issues without on-site visits. When an engineer is needed, Bushmills benefits from local support for each printer with three Videojet technicians based within 40 minutes of the site, ensuring minimal downtime. 

John Tierney, Country Manager at Videojet said: “We’re a committed partner in the Bushmills relationship. Protecting the integrity of the whiskey brand has always been our main focus and we’ve worked together over the years to ensure that product quality is never compromised. 

“Understanding Bushmills’ business and providing the products and services that allow the brand to grow and evolve is key.  Using our expertise, we’ve designed solutions that have saved the customer time, improved production flow and contributed to lower running costs.  We take a true partnership approach to create an environment for open dialogue. This means we can resolve any issues and plan for the next developments.”