The term “in mould labelling” is directly derived from the technique: a preprinted polypropylene (PP) label is placed in a mould. This mould has the shape of the end product

With in-mould labelling, cut imprinted plastic films, also known as labels, are placed to precisely fit into the injection mould by means of a handling unit. The labels are fixed in place through the application of vacuum or static electricity charge, and then rear injected with plastic material. Heat and pressure are applied to melt the substrate film, which is precisely adjusted to the plastic material, with the melt introduced to form the final product in the filling and holding cycles. In many instances, this technology is used in combination with stacking moulds for increased output while maintaining reproducibility and quality at the same levels.

For companies that are looking to increase their consumer appeal and protect their products against contamination and counterfeiting, in-mould labelling (IML) provides the ideal labelling technology. A product decoration method that has experienced a surge in popularity throughout the past couple of decades, today we find numerous industries taking an active interest in this technology, including food, beverage, cosmetic, healthcare, pharmaceutical and even automotive.