Labels partnership success for in-moulds

Leading barcode labels and security specialist, inotec, is celebrating the company’s long-term partnership with Georg Utz. This successful collaboration has resulted in the production of over 40 million in-mould labels for plastic totes, crates, pallets and dollies.

The significant investment between inotec and Georg Utz began in 2008 and has enabled the in-mould labelling process to become fully automated within the production of new totes and crates. This delivers substantial time and cost savings compared to applying adhesive labels after manufacturing. The Diobond labels are applied during the moulding process of polyethene, polystyrene, polypropylene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) products.

The barcode labels are moulded onto the totes and crates during production as a permanent and durable asset identification solution. Using inotec’s state of the art printing, full-colour logos, barcodes and even radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled inlays can be injection moulded into the wall of a container.

Due to its unique and patented manufacturing process, inotec’s RFID chips can also be in-moulded directly to totes and crates with no interlayer to destroy the contact between the box plastic and the label. In tests, up to 300 boxes were read at one time within seconds.

Durable and contamination free

The durability of the in-mould technology not only makes the labels extremely hardwearing, but also resistant to high-pressure cleaning, chemicals, acids and solvents.

The bond between the in-mould label and the crate becomes permanent, offering a smooth edgeless surface. This eliminates the possibility of any contamination happening behind the label. Coupled with its durability and resistance to industrial cleaning, inotec’s in-mould label technology is ideal for the food and pharmaceutical industries along with other highly hygienic environments.

Without the need for adhesives, the in-mould labels are highly resistant to heat and UV light as well as being waterproof. David Stocker, sales director, inotec UK explains:
“Changing the labelling process from adhesive labels to in-mould labels has many benefits for companies like Georg Utz.

“Moving to in-mould labelling technology means labels can be inserted during the moulding process. This removes the extra step that the traditional method adhesive labels create, as they can only be applied after the moulding process. In addition to this, newly moulded totes need to be stored and cooled before they can have the adhesive labels applied. In-mould labelling eliminates this extra storage stage and the need for secondary handling. This not only saves time but also creates significant cost savings for companies like Georg Utz who are producing in mass volumes.”

General Manager, Russell Evans, at Georg Utz concludes:
“In-mould labelling is a major innovation in our industry. It allows us to offer much higher specification, reliable barcodes and the digital printing of logos with unlimited colours at a very high print resolution. The images are incredibly clear and robust.

“We are aware that to continue to grow we must constantly innovate in line with our customers’ needs and having partners like inotec is integral to our future development.”

Established in 1999, inotec UK is a wholly owned subsidiary of inotec GmbH. It is a provider of warehouse finishing solutions including durable barcode labels, in-mould labels, internal and external line marking, RFID solutions and warehouse signage.

inotec specialises in providing bespoke solutions for a variety of environments from ambient to cold stores. The company offers a complete service, working with clients throughout the process from design to installation to achieve solutions that work the first time and every time.

inotec GmbH is Europe’s premier specialist barcode and Auto ID label company with a wealth of experience in providing quality label and identification solutions. Using the world’s most consistent and accurate printing processes, the company guarantees secure and readable labels at all times. With its unique testing laboratory and expert technical knowledge, inotec GmbH has been introducing pioneering new products and long-lasting warehouse identification solutions for more than 30 years.