The In-Mold Decorating Association is an organization that includes molders, printers, material suppliers and equipment manufacturers who are committed to the development and growth of in-mold decorated products, technologies and markets.

The aim of the IMDA is to enhance and support member companies’ business by raising the level of awareness and acceptance of in-mold decorated durable products and in-mold labeled packaging by OEMs, brand owners and marketers.

One of the highlights of the IMDA yearly calendar is its annual awards competition, where the association spotlights and celebrates the best in in-mold labels and in-mold parts. As is the case across just about all industries and subsets of industries, due to the coronavirus pandemic caused by COVID-19, the 2020 IMDA Awards program was canceled. In light of this, now is an optimal time to look at the projects and partnerships that earned top IMDA honors in the 2019 competition.

L&NW was fortunate to catch up with two of the key collaborators on one of the winning entries. Submitted by Taylor Communications in the Best In-Mold Decorated Durable Part category, this entry in particular highlights a new and unique capability of IML and IMD technology.  The winning entry from Taylor Communications was for Heritage Pistol Grips, from Brand Owner Heritage Manufacturing, Inc. When thinking of pistol construction, the conventional method of manufacture has been to make the “grip” part of the pistol from wood. But that’s not the case here, as after years of extensive R&D, Taylor engineers – through a collaborative effort with specialty inks and coatings supplier Cyngient – came up with a solution for an in-mold decorated gun handle. This an innovation that Taylor believes is truly one-of-a-kind.

Taylor Communications partnered with Heritage Manufacturing to extend and diversify Heritage’s pistol product line. Taylor’s development – with the help of Cyngient – of flexographic 3D formable inks and custom 5-axis trim cell enable high-quality, custom graphics like woodgrain, metallic, pearlescent and other effects to be applied to the IMD process.

The development of the IMD technology through this partnership has created new and exciting opportunities for future growth. Tracy Nixon, IML director of sales and marketing for Taylor Communications, and Andrew Wasserman, managing partner for Cyngient, recently sat down with Label & Narrow Web to discuss the winning project, as well as their partnership, in greater detail.

Best In-Mold Decorated Durable Part
“Heritage Pistol Grips”
Submitted By: Taylor Communications
Brand Owner: Heritage Manufacturing, Inc.
Molder: Widgets Ltd.
Label Supplier: Taylor Communications

L&NW: Congratulations on the award and the development of this innovative approach to manufacturing pistol grips. How did this special project come about?
Tracy Nixon:  We had worked with some clients on developing topcoats that were formable and durable – those used in some automotive applications, for example.  So we had some success there. And when Heritage approached us for parts decoration – in this case for the gun handles, which were previously made of wood – we were excited to get involved.

We were able to develop the right tooling and created sample parts where we could print any design we wanted, based on what we formed.

With gun handles normally made from wood, we were presenting a solution that was truly unique and different. Cyngient played an instrumental role  in working with us to develop the right ink formulation – a formable ink that we could use on press, along with a topcoat, and laminated to achieve the desired effect for the customer.

L&NW: What were some of the key challenges you faced during the R&D process?
Tracy Nixon: The challenge was in developing an ink that when you stretch it, it doesn’t crack, it cures at high speeds, and does not denigrate the print quality during the thermoforming process.

Andrew Wasserman: The engineering team at Taylor was very effective and helpful in terms of conveying the design of the product and the specifications they needed.  The whole process was extremely collaborative – an approach that is what we do best at Cyngient.

This type of extreme stretch was never done before – it’s something brand new to the flexo industry. And it didn’t happen overnight. By working together, Cyngient and Taylor were able to come up with a custom solution that had several important attributes, including heat resistance, stability and elongation. Also, we needed incredible over-the-top adhesion, which is not necessarily typical in standard UV flexo ink formulations.

We went through many raw materials and even looked into other markets for possible solutions. Some were from the medical industry that were able to conform to the in-mold market. We incorporated these materials and characteristics and were able to come up with a unique UV flexo ink structure for these gun handles.

Tracy Nixon: Working closely with the experts at Cyngient was of great benefit. Every time we ran tests and trials, they wanted to be on hand to see just what tweaks and changes needed to be made to improve upon the finished product.

L&NW: What does a project like this mean for the IML and IMD market?
Andrew Wasserman: With this type of in-mold technology, we are now able to make working, functional parts. There is so much more to this technology than product decoration. We’re able to print parts – and parts with a built-in label. In doing so, by adding functionality, we can reduce overall costs significantly. Things that were once thought of as impossible are now possible. This project with Taylor shows how in-mold technology can open new doors and opportunities.

Best Part Design
“Ella Cappuccino”
Submitted By: Verstraete In Mold Labels, a Multi-Color Company
Brand Owner: Star Gate Innovations
Molder: Polyoak Dairy Pack Tubs
Label Supplier: Verstraete In Mold Labels, a Multi-Color Company

Ella is “convenience in a capsule” – delivering a premium liquid espresso and low-fat milk, in an instant. Simply shake and add boiling hot water or cold water over ice. No machine required. Ella is a healthy product with no artificial additives and is preservative-free with a shelf life of one year. The IML oxygen barrier labels prevent oxygen from entering the packaging, thus extending the shelf life and the aroma of the cappuccino.

Best Label Design
“Cream of Tomato Pot Soup”
Submitted By: Korsini
Brand Owner: The Kraft Heinz Company
Molder: RPC Superfos
Label Supplier: Korsini

Hygiene and freshness are key, as the SuperLock pot from RPC Superfos − in combination with Korsini-SAF’s autoclave resistant oxygen barrier labels − allows for post filling sterilization up to 120° C for 80 minutes. The pot and lid are injection-molded, and the pot comes with in-mold labeling and oxygen barrier protection.

The lid is decorated with a standard IML, and the pots are sealed with aluminium foil for a long shelf life even under ambient temperatures. The SuperLock pot has a very user-friendly twist-off, screw-on lid. Another advantage is that the pot is suitable for microwaves, so that a yummy meal can be effortlessly heated within minutes. Both the pot and lid are 100% recyclable, which is clearly indicated by an on-pack recycling label.

Best In-Mold Decorated Package
“Almond Breeze Almondmilk Yogurt Alternative”
Submitted By: Polytainers, Inc.
Brand Owner: Blue Diamond Growers
Molder: Polytainers, Inc.
Label Supplier: Verstraete In Mold Labels

Polytainers’ new dual compartment Sidekick container offers efficiency on shelf while delivering tangible sustainability results. The Sidekick is designed with thinner walls, reducing the amount of plastic used during the manufacturing process.

Both the container and IML label are made with polypropylene resin, resulting in a 100% recyclable package, so the consumer does not need to separate materials before recycling. The Sidekick increases shelf density by 36% and is available in white, pigmented or clear with a full wrap IML label.

Best Technical Achievement
“Holographic Closure Technologies”
Submitted By: Morphotonix
Brand Owner: United Caps
Molder: United Caps
Label Supplier: Morphotonix

United Caps partnered with Morphotonix, a high-tech brand protection company, to secure bottled products’ originality with a bio-inspired and sustainable closure design. Morphotonix nano-engraved steel cavities with 130,000 dpi precision custom diffractive holograms, which were replicated by United Caps into the closures via injection molding. The cavities are seamlessly integrated in the molding line, and the closures are produced at standard speeds, with zero additional consumables. The irremovable security designs provide immediate verification without scanning.



IML set to move beyond being a niche market

Market research firm Transparency Market Research (TMR) predicts that IML is poised to move beyond being a niche market, with significant growth expected. Key benefits, TMR says, include IML eliminating the need for post-production labeling processes while offering high resolution print, recyclability, high resistance to humidity and scratches, and non-susceptibility to wrinkles. Other advantages of IML fueling its growth, the firm says, are high transparency, waterproofing, and permanent moldability. In-mold labels are used in various end-use applications such as petrochemical, household, pharmaceutical, paint and cosmetic containers.

The global IML market has been segmented based on production process, material, printing technology and end user. According to TMR, based on production process, the market has been segmented into injection molding, blow molding and thermoforming. The injection molding segment dominates the market and is expected to expand at a significant rate, TMR says, noting, “This is ascribed primarily to certain factors such as low price and provision of imparting 3D-effects to labels. Based on material, the IML market has been segmented into PP, PE, ABS and PVC. PP is a leading material segment, due to its versatility and features such as ease of attaining softening point to form bonds with other polymers and high moisture resistance.” PP-based in-mold labeling, TMR reports, is used in various industrial and consumer products, due to its low cost. It is used in products such as cosmetics, food, barcode labels, hand tags and retail tags.

TMR reports the food and beverage segment is likely to dominate the IML market in the coming years. Rising demand for packaged food, beverages and branded items due to growing awareness regarding branded and authentic products is fueling IML market growth, the firm says.

IML offers various benefits such as low packaging weight, high durability, recyclability and protection against humidity. TMR says these drivers – demand for packaging systems with low weight and high aesthetics – are projected to augment the demand for IML. Low production rates across the globe, coupled with the high cost of producing IML labels, is restraining the market. However, growing concerns about environmental pollution are prompting manufacturers to adopt recyclable materials, typically in plastic in-labeling, and to use resins from renewable sources. All these factors are expected to provide lucrative opportunities to vendors to invest in sustainable and eco-friendly label products in the next few years.

In terms of geography, TMR predicts the market in Asia Pacific will experience the most significant growth. This is due to rising demand for efficient, innovative and premium labels in the region, in addition to rising disposable income in countries such as China, India and Indonesia.