Jones Packaging (London, Ontario), a leading worldwide provider of packaging solutions for healthcare and consumer brands, has become the first folding carton converter in the world to receive Preferred Converter certification for the application of Thin Film Electronics ASA’s (“Thinfilm”) revolutionary NFC OpenSense tags to paperboard pharmaceutical packaging for over-the-counter and prescription products. In attaining this status, Jones completed a comprehensive evaluation program that demonstrated its ability to establish and automate key production processes, as well as consistently meet designated standards related to carton design, tag application, process control, inline testing/discrimination, product quality, data management, transfer/security, training and support.
NFC OpenSense tags are thin, flexible labels that can detect both a product’s “factory sealed” and “opened” states and wirelessly communicate contextual content with the tap of an NFC-enabled smartphone. The tags contain unique identifiers that make it possible for pharmaceutical companies to authenticate products and track them to the individual-item level using powerful software and analytics tools. In addition, the tags remain active even after a product’s factory seal has been broken, empowering brands and healthcare staff to extend the dialogue with consumers and patients. Thinfilm’s “Tag Talks First” protocol is a key feature of the NFC OpenSense tags and enables a read-speed up to 20 times faster than conventional NFC solutions. This makes it ideal for use within the high-speed, high-volume production lines found in Jones’ manufacturing facilities.
Fascinating short video released
In January of this year, Jones and Thinfilm announced plans to integrate Thinfilm’s NFC OpenSense technology into paperboard pharma packaging and establish key manufacturing processes for production on Jones’ high-speed lines. This past August, the partners created a video that visually demonstrates the fully automated process, including setup of the carton, application of the tag, reading of the NFC chip, recording of key data, and ejection of compromised packages. The two-minute video can be viewed here.
Jones and Thinfilm are engaging leading global pharmaceutical companies to integrate Thinfilm’s NFC technology with product packaging and deliver the solution to market. The ongoing collaboration between the partners will also include the future integration of ferrite shields with the OpenSense tags, which will enable the NFC technology to function on metalized packaging such as blisters commonly used for cold/flu medication and filled in the Jones Contract Packaging Services facility.
https://youtu.be/H4Zay-zkJCM
Jones becomes Thinfilm’s first Preferred Converter worldwide for Thinfilm’s groundbreaking NFC tags
