Digimarc and Omron partnership to transform production processes 

A strategic partnership between Digimarc and Omron will see digital watermarks and machine vision technology help digital product identification become a transformative force in industrial automation.

The companies said their move is helping manufacturers and brands stay ahead of the competition, adapt to changing market conditions, and meet the increasingly stringent requirements of sustainable, customised products.

“Today, more than ever, brands face heightened pressure to adhere to new industry regulations, streamline operations, and meet consumer expectations for quality, authenticity, and sustainability,” said Ken Sickles, Digimarc’s chief product officer. “Through our partnership with Omron, we now deliver an industrial automation solution that addresses these needs head-on — The partnership will bring together revolutionary digital watermarking and machine vision technologies, transforming production processes across industries.

Advancements in industrial automation are critical to business operations and the safety of consumers. For example, labelling mix-ups have caused food products to be shipped without proper disclosure of ingredients. In the case of allergens like peanuts, milk, or gluten, this can be life-threatening. Manufacturers and brands require automated control and quality checks to prevent incorrectly matched parts.

Digimarc and Omron believe they have modernised industrial automation so manufacturers can now prevent mismatched components or mis-labelled products, increase the speed and efficiency of the production process, and streamline the distribution and fulfilment of packaged goods.

The solution also facilitates the recovery, sorting, and recycling of packaging materials post-use, reducing waste leaking into the environment and improving the quality and quantity of post-consumer recyclate.

“Our customers in the consumer goods sector face increasing demands for safety as well as high-quality, sustainable packaging,” said Fernando Colás, chief executive officer, Omron Industrial Automation EMEA. “By integrating Digimarc’s advanced digital watermarking technology into our machine vision solutions, we provide innovative packaging solutions that reduce unnecessary materials and prevent mislabelled or mispackaged products.”

Machines can identify, inspect, and initiate track-and-trace features quickly and accurately, at remarkably high speeds. As a result, brands and manufacturers across industries achieve significant improvements in efficiency, quality, traceability, security, and compliance across industrial operations.

The powerful combination of industrial automation expertise and advanced digital watermarking technology introduces a fully integrated solution to modernise industrial facilities.

Beyond industrial automation, Digimarc digital watermarks add value throughout the product lifecycle, enabling brands to address future challenges and meet consumer expectations with minimal additional investment. Once applied, digital watermarks automate the identification of packaging collection and sortation at material recycling facilities (MRFs) while generating sustainability metrics.

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