Solutions
Why use IML
- Superior creative graphics possibilities
- Lower cost than other labeling methods.
- No extra labeling step or post labeling, just fill & seal.
- Higher packaging line speed.
- In-house container inventory is either reduced or eliminated and warehousing shifted to molders, that make JIT delivery possible.
- Light weight of containers, because label displaces synthetic granulate equal to own volume (gram weight of granulate savings of 10-15%).
- Better appearance and durability.
- Significant reduction in label defects by application.
- Resistant to product staining.
- Improvement of side wall strength of a container up to 120%.
- The label becomes a part of bottle or container, therefore it allows bottle to flex and be squeezed without label separation.
- Best performance of labeling, because I-IML is a part of a container wall. It cannot be peeled off as a PS or glue-on label can.
Cost Comparison Pad printing (4cp) vs. I ML (4cp)
What is "value add"?
Higher quality, Greater Flexibility, Faster service, increased functionality.
Even with value add the customer will want reduced margin or lower price.
Let's take the example of pad printing a 6" diameter graphic on an 8" Frisbee compared to In-mold labeling with a 6" diameter graphic on thin film.
General assumptions:
- Annual volume over a 5 year life of product
- 250,000 parts 1st year
- 300,000 parts for 3 years
- 200,000 parts for last year
- Investment 4 color pad printing press $80,000
- Investment end of arm tool $50,000
- Investment robot $100,000
- 100% cost of all equipment assigned to the project
Cost Components of Pad Printing (PP)
Impression cost of pad print inks
Hourly cost of labor
Parts per hour
Percent of Scrap
Cost of plastic part being molded
Rework cost
.048 cents per Frisbee (.012 cents per color)
$8.00
90
5%
$0.50
Solvent wipe 2 minutes
Ink cost + labor per part x scrap rate + labor rate x rework time x scrap rate = basic part cost
The basic part cost is $0.269 for pad printed part.
Cost Components of In-Mold Labeling
Label cost
Hourly molding cost
Molded parts per hour
Increase in mold cycle
Expected percent of scrap
$0.15
$45.00
120 (30 seconds per part)
3 seconds
2%
Scrap rate x piece price + increased molding cycle time + scrap rate x part cost = basic part cost
The basic part cost is $0.1903 for in-mold labeling
Pad Printing Piece cost $0.2693
Less In-mold Piece cost $01903
Savings per part $0.0790