Erdinger Upgrades to High-Power CO2 Laser Coding for High-Speed Beer Production

Domino Printing Sciences has partnered with Germany’s Erdinger to implement its new Dx1060i CO2 laser coder, delivering high-speed, high-quality laser coding across Erdinger’s premium beer production lines.

The project highlights the growing role of high-power laser coding in beverage environments, where speed, automation, and increasingly complex codes must coexist — ideally without adding downtime or waste.

Coding at 60,000 Bottles per Hour (Per Line)

Founded in 1886, Erdinger is the world’s largest wheat beer brewery, processing up to 165,000 bottles per hour at its Erding, Bavaria, facility. Individual filling lines operate at speeds of up to 60,000 bottles per hour, with production and traceability codes laser-marked directly onto metallized labels.

Erdinger has used Domino laser systems for more than 30 years, but rising line speeds and expanding export requirements pushed existing equipment to its limits. A shift from two-line to three-line codes significantly increased coding complexity, prompting the move from a 60W D-Series laser to Domino’s new 100W Dx1060i.

ERP-Controlled, Plug-and-Play Integration

One of the most notable aspects of the upgrade was the seamless integration of the Dx1060i into Erdinger’s highly automated environment. Each laser coder operates under centralized ERP control, managing variable data across multiple high-speed lines without third-party integration.

According to Erdinger’s maintenance team, the transition was effectively plug-and-play — with Domino handling the full ERP integration and commissioning. Proactive remote diagnostics allowed issues to be identified and resolved before they impacted production, an important factor in an operation where downtime quickly translates into lost revenue.

Sharper Codes, Less Waste, Better Sustainability Metrics

At these production speeds, code quality isn’t just a branding issue — it’s a waste issue. Poor readability or inconsistent marking leads to rejects, rework, and lost product.

The higher power and improved beam control of the Dx1060i enabled Erdinger to maintain sharp, durable, three-line codes on metallized labels while reducing waste to near zero. In a brewery filling hundreds of thousands of bottles per hour, even small improvements in reject rates have a measurable impact on sustainability targets and operating costs.

Designed for High-Speed, Future Requirements

The Dx1060i is part of Domino’s i-Techx generation of laser coding systems, combining higher power output with advanced electronics, improved user interfaces, and integration flexibility. For manufacturers like Erdinger, this creates a clearer pathway for handling future regulatory, export, and traceability requirements without repeated hardware changes.

With the initial installation proving successful, Erdinger is now exploring opportunities to expand deployment of the Dx1060i across additional production lines as part of its ongoing collaboration with Domino.

For beverage producers facing rising code complexity, higher speeds, and tighter sustainability goals, this project offers an excellent example of how coding systems, software integration, and support infrastructure must increasingly work together in modern production environments.