At 1340 8th Street in Tempe, Arizona, Four Peaks Brewery calls home to a historic red-brick building once used as an ice factory, creamery, and even a recording studio. Since its founding in 1996, Four Peaks has become Arizona’s largest craft brewer, known for its signature beers like Kilt Lifter and Wow Wheat. In 2016, it was acquired by Anheuser Busch, but it remains a local favorite, blending tradition with modern efficiency.

The Coding Challenge at the Brewery

Ensuring the freshest beer possible means printing clear expiration dates on every can and bottle. But before Four Peaks upgraded to Leibinger printers, Gary Fogg, Head of Production since 2018, often had to stop the line due to frequent print head clogs. With 250 cans produced every minute, this downtime resulted in lost time, misprinted beer, and significant waste. “Every 15 minutes, we’d check the legibility. If the date wasn’t clear, we’d stop production for an hour just to clean the heads,” Gary recalls. This happened almost daily, costing both time and money.

A Reliable Solution with LEIBINGER

Gary had seen these challenges before and knew Leibinger printers would be the answer. With support from Tim Robinson, President of Southwest Industrial Printers, representing RMH Systems, they replaced unreliable machines with Leibinger printers, and the impact was immediate. “We went from cleaning heads weekly or even daily to barely needing to clean them monthly,” says Gary. The reliability of Leibinger printers not only reduced downtime but also cut down on solvent usage, enhancing sustainability and saving on costs.

Perfect for Tough Environments

The brewery’s hot and humid conditions, especially near pasteurizers, can cause issues for many printers, but not Leibinger. Even in the harshest spots, they continue to perform flawlessly. Tim and Gary also worked together to solve ink adhesion issues by switching to a more effective pigmented ink, ensuring codes stayed visible on condensation-prone bottles.

Results That Matter

The switch to Leibinger has been a game-changer for productivity and quality. Gary emphasizes the importance of dependable equipment: “At the end of the day, our job is to brew great beer and get it to customers. Coding should be simple, legible, and repeatable, and with Leibinger, it has been for years.”