Bar Code Label Requirements for Packaged Inbound Materials

BASF Coatings

SUBJECT:BASF Coatings Bar Code Requirements

Dear Supplier:

In our continued effort to identify greater efficiencies, and comply with quality and customer requirements, BASF Coatings is requiring all raw material and packaging suppliers to place barcode labels on shipments sent to our NAFTA manufacturing locations. These requirements apply to the following locations: Greenville, OH; Windsor, Ontario, Canada and Tultitlan, Mexico.

Implementation Plan

The attached requirements outline label formats and important dates.

Label formats

I Labeling process (container and pallet)

  1. Containers - affix one bar code label to each raw material or package container.
  2. Full pallets of bags: apply to bottom right-hand side of pallet. One on each side of pallet and one on each end of the pallet, for a total of 4.
  3. If multiple lots are placed on one pallet, affix label on the bottom right hand side of the pallet, stating each lot number. Also, affix additional label on each bag for each lot number on pallet.
  4. Drum containers: affix one label on top of drum and one label on side of drum.
  5. Aluminum / fiber drum containers: place one label on side of container.
  6. All bar code labels must be affixed to containers and bags under stretch wrap.

II Bar Code Label

  1. A detailed specification of the bar code label is provided
  2. Bar code symbology will be UCC/EAN 128.
  3. Minimum label size is 6” x 4”.
  4. Bar code height minimum 0.5”

The bars that make up the bar code shall be sufficiently distinct and separate so that the bar code is easily read. The bars shall not contain any gaps or irregularities. Each bar code shall have a “quiet zone” on either side to facilitate reading. Human readable fonts should be no smaller than the font shown in the example. Label paper and ink quality will be such to allow easy scanning and durability for outside storage. A permanent adhesive type should be used.

III Field Identification

  1. BASF Material number (51894829 in example attached) plus legacy code (C00253-9999 in example attached) – should be in human readable; 8 characters plus 6-4 characters in parentheses
  2. BASF material number ONLY will be in bar code
  3. Supplier lot number – Bar coded and human readable
  4. 10 characters maximum, alpha numeric
  5. If lot number is numeric and less than 10 characters long the lot number must be padded out to 10 characters with leading zeroes.
  6. BASF Description – Human readable
  7. BASF description must match the text that appears on the BASF purchase order
  8. 45 characters maximum
  9. Quantity + Unit of measure – both in Bar coded and human readable forms
  10. UOM must match ordering format on BASF purchase order – example: if purchase order states lbs, then UOM must be in lbs
  11. If the quantity is less than 6 characters, then leading zeros must be used to pad the quantity to 6 characters maximum for any unit of measure- example 3200000215 (bar code) 215 lbs (human readable), and 3100000215, 215kgs. For decimal places (215.1 kgs) the identifier should be 320100215.1
  12. BASF purchase order number – Bar coded and human readable
  13. Maximum 10 characters
  14. Manufacturing date – Human readable (MM/DD/YYYY). This field is used by BASF to calculate expiration dates. If shelf life projections are based on a shipping date please enter that date in this field.
  15. HMIS® III codes – Human readable (Supplier provided)

BASF contact for questions:

Contact Name: / Paula Zehetmair
Contact Phone: / 248-948-2252
Contact Fax: / 864-332-5140
Contact Email: /

Below is an example of the UCC/EAN 128 bar code label that will be used for both containers & pallets.

February, 2011

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