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 Supplying labels and their feeding systems, Kurz launched a new foil-feed with higher throughputs and increased accuracy at the K.  Among other finishes, Kurz provides labels for IMD and IML that feature holograms—a key security feature in today's counterfeit-sensitive marketplace. |
IML remains a largely untapped technology in North America, lagging behind implementation levels seen in Europe. But the greater variety and overall volume of packaging in North America make it a huge potential market.
While inmold labeling (IML) continues to grow market share in Europe, which as a regional market is the leader, North America continues to lag in this technology, reported William Llewellyn, VP at AWA Alexander Watson Associates BV, at IMLCON 2007 (Scottsdale, AZ; Oct. 10-12). Of a total, worldwide label market of 39.5 million square meters in 2006, North America accounted for only 27.3%, compared to 31.9% in Europe, and 29.2% in Asia-Pacific.
It appears that supply is everything when adopting this technology. "There's still a lack of confidence in domestic label suppliers in North America," stated Llewellyn, resulting in a reluctance to move to IML.
In North America, where 2006 total label demand was 10.7 million m², extrusion-blowmolding continues to dominate the IML market, with a 91% share and sales of $142 million, compared to 9% for injection molding IML with sales of $20 million. "It's the exact reverse in Europe," said Llewellyn. "The exciting part of growth will be in the injection molding market in the future of IML."
Llewellyn said the trends for IML are slowing overall growth, but stronger expansion in injection molding markets, and North American development in local conversion and local film production. In 2006, the majority of labels were film (57%) and the balance paper. Sales of packaged goods in Mexico will increase by 22%, making that market a good opportunity for IML.
Threats to the IML market include a "complex and extended value chain" that includes material suppliers, film producers, end users, label designers, printers, blowmolders/injection molders, die cutting suppliers, and processing machinery and robotics companies. Establishing that supply chain and getting all the players together takes time and money.
Competition will come from other label formats such as heat-shrink labels and sleeves for PVC and PET containers, Llewellyn noted. "Brand fragmentation is also a threat to inmold labels, with a greater number of SKUs with different requirements for each label, and shorter, more frequent label runs," he said. "A lot of new segments are too small to justify IML."
However, there are some good opportunities in North America for domestic production of injection molded IML. The U.S. volume potential is three to four times that of Europe, as there are so many more varieties of packages and more packages in total. Additionally, in the U.S. there are typically large runs and the labels are all mostly in English, compared to the numerous languages in the EU. Also, there are opportunities outside packaging, such as automotive, consumer products, and toys. Recycling isn't an issue where PP labels can be used on PP containers, and they can both be recycled together.
Llewellyn noted that what it will take to drive IML to its full potential in the U.S. is a large company to push processors into it. "In Europe, injection molding had a champion in Unilever," he explained. "There is no champion like that in the United States and that makes injection molders reluctant to implement a technology if the end-user might not be on board. It's a big investment to make and where's the confidence you'll get your money back?"
IML looks beyond packaging
By Tony Deligio
Label suppliers like Germany's Kurz (Fürth) are making a push for IML and IMD (inmold decoration) into markets beyond packaging, with new foils that simulate woods, metals, and combinations of the two in a variety of finishes and with deeper draws for more complex 3D geometries.
At K 2007, Kurz showed off IML foil technology that allows full-surface transfer of wood designs, including African mahogany, gold beech, and wild black cherry. The company can even reproduce knots and other imperfections to lend realism to the product. On the metals side, Kurz can duplicate aluminum, titanium, chrome, or stainless steel, with polished or brushed finishes.
On the hardware side, Kurz launched a new foil-feeding unit for its IMD process. The IMD-MK/S Series processes single-image designs at a foil-advance speed that's been increased from 270 mm/sec to 500 mm/sec with a position accuracy of ±0.07 mm in X and Y directions. The device can process foils in widths of 200, 300, and 400 mm, and it uses sensors to ensure foil has passed properly from the foil-supply reel to the foil take-up reel.
Specifically targeting the automotive market, Kurz also launched a technology at K that combines its wood and chrome effects by actually employing hot stamping and IMD. The company displayed door trims that were first covered with a wood design using IMD, then partially over-stamped with a metallized hot-stamping foil. Kurz said it could use an IMD single-image foil with a combined wood and chrome design, but this would require a design groove that could become a dirt trap in a finished vehicle.
Boldly molding, one innovative step at a time
By Matthew Defosse
Talented injection molders are doing what talented people do in every field: taking advantage of new technologies and market opportunities to earn their firms more, and more profitable, orders. This Tech Trends highlights work ongoing at a few leading injection molders serving the packaging, automotive, and electronics fields.
Packaging
Erie tames powdered flavor beast
Erie Plastics (Corry, PA) is one of the most illustrious names in North American injection molding, with chairman and CEO Hoop Roche named one of our Notable Processors in 2005. Recently the firm completed development of a new type of closure that may prove the first commercial success for an idea that has been floating about for some years.
The idea is to mold a beverage package that contains a powder, tablet, or liquid additive that is added to the beverage as a consumer twists the closure. This can extend the life of beverages and the potency of the additives by keeping them separate until consumption.
Great idea, and it would certainly appeal to children, but putting it into practice has proven tough. A number of leading closure molders have taken stabs at it, including Portola Packaging (see February 2007 MPW, p. 58), but Erie Plastics thinks its Pop 'N Shake closures finally will get this technology to commercial status. Market applications could include the bottled water, juice, tea, coffee, and dairy beverage sectors, as well as nutraceuticals and organics.
Jane Roche, marketing manager at the molder, says the firm has worked with beverage brandowners and they will provide the ingredients (powder, capsules, or whatever) that Erie Plastics will then fill into closures at its facility. The molder developed proprietary fill, seal, leak detection, and assembly equipment, and will act as the contract filler.
Erie Plastics debuted Pop 'N Shake at the 2007 Packaging Summit Expo and Conference. Ingredients are dispensed with the turn of a tamper-evident dust cover, which pops an inner-cap PET chamber that can be filled with either liquids or powders. A consumer needs only shake the bottle to mix the ingredients. Erie Plastics has patents pending on its moisture and oxygen barrier solution, which ensures separation of active and inactive ingredients. Pop 'N Shake closures are available in sizes of 26 mm and 38 mm.
Automotive
Johnson Controls taming the Dolphin
Attendees at October's K Show who found their way to the stand of injection molding machine maker Engel (Schwertberg, Austria) likely saw, among the many machines running there, the Duo Combi press molding parts using the Dolphin technology developed by Engel with material suppliers BASF, P-Group, and Swiss moldmaker Kaufmann. A prototype of the Dolphin was introduced at Engel's open house in May 2006. The technology enables bi-material molding of a hard thermoplastic with foamable polyester developed by P-Group.
Volkhard Wick, executive director CoC engineering at Tier One supplier Johnson Controls, says the part molded at the K Show was a door panel using the mold for Mercedes Benz's A- and B-Class vehicles, using a PBT/glass-fiber-reinforced ASA as the hard material and a TPE-E as the soft. It's an unusual material combination, he notes, but says Johnson Controls wants to test automotive OEMs' interest with the part. "The (Dolphin) process certainly has potential—of that we're convinced," he says, though he adds that much testing needs to be done before it might enter commercial use. Wick predicts Dolphin will be ready for processing of commercial parts in 2010.
Electrical/electronics
Oechsler tames LED production
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are proving one of the faster-growing applications for injection molders, as electronics OEMs buy into molding's promise of parts integration.
At K this promise was on display, processor Oechsler AG (Ansbach, Germany) loaned one of its molds to injection molding machine maker Arburg (Lossburg, Germany). At the latter firm's stand, an Allrounder 370 S 600-70-30-30 press outfitted formed LED light strips. Transparent polyamide lenses were molded ready for the insertion of three LEDs, with the light strip housing made of ABS. A conductive polyamide was chosen to form the printed conductors. Downstream of the press, the fabricated upper casings with labelled lower casings and batteries were assembled for the finished article.
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