Ask The Brewmasters

We are in the market for a new labeler for our canning line. We currently run a 4 head goose at a rate of ~32-35 cans per minute, and can 3-4 days out of the week for as little as 2-3 hours, but more typically 6-7 hours. We run primarily 16 oz cans, but we do run a few beers into 12 oz cans, and we also fill bomber and 375 mL bottles for specialty products, so we are looking for a labeler that is easy to switch formats and handles them well. 

Our current machine is a second (though really maybe third or fourth) hand CTM 360, and it's served us well for a number of years but as it gets older it's harder to keep labels aligned consistently and it seems like I am servicing and replacing parts on it every month. Looking for something a little more modern, probably built with the beverage industry in mind. I am currently looking at Pack Leader machines and Inline machines, but figured I'd reach out here and see if anyone was really in love with their machine. Appreciate any thoughts or recommendations! 

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Joshua Maxson
Confluence Brewing Company
Des Moines IA
(319) 400-9678
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Joshua,

            I've run various Inline labelers for 18 years for both cans and bottles (~60 cpm/bpm speeds), and they've always worked very well for us. Customer service, remote machine access, and part availability have also been top-notch in my experience. That said, I've also heard good things about Pack Leader machines from colleagues. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me. Good luck in your search. 

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Geoff Logan
Head Brewer
Williamsburg VA
(757) 220-3670
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-24-2024 15:34
From: Joshua Maxson
Subject: Can Labeler Recommendations?

We are in the market for a new labeler for our canning line. We currently run a 4 head goose at a rate of ~32-35 cans per minute, and can 3-4 days out of the week for as little as 2-3 hours, but more typically 6-7 hours. We run primarily 16 oz cans, but we do run a few beers into 12 oz cans, and we also fill bomber and 375 mL bottles for specialty products, so we are looking for a labeler that is easy to switch formats and handles them well. 

Our current machine is a second (though really maybe third or fourth) hand CTM 360, and it's served us well for a number of years but as it gets older it's harder to keep labels aligned consistently and it seems like I am servicing and replacing parts on it every month. Looking for something a little more modern, probably built with the beverage industry in mind. I am currently looking at Pack Leader machines and Inline machines, but figured I'd reach out here and see if anyone was really in love with their machine. Appreciate any thoughts or recommendations! 

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Joshua Maxson
Confluence Brewing Company
Des Moines IA
(319) 400-9678
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