The In-Mold Decorating Association (IMDA) honored the winners of its 13th Annual Awards Competition last June at the trade group’s 2019 Symposium at the Marriott Cool Springs Hotel in Franklin, Tennessee. The awards recognize the industry’s best examples of in-mold labeled (IML) packaging and in-mold decorated (IMD) durable products based on creativity in design, engineering and innovation.
The IMDA Awards Competition has received recognition by the World Packaging Organization (WPO). The WorldStar Awards, one of the major WPO events, runs annually to give worldwide honor to packages earning an award in a national or regional packaging competition. Currently, 63 competitions from 37 countries and regions are recognized by the WPO as qualifying for entry to the WorldStars.
This year’s top five winners are described below:
Best Label Design – Soup pot: The SuperLock® soup pot from molder RPC Superfos − in combination with in-mold label maker Korsini-SAF’s autoclave-resistant, oxygen-barrier labels − allows for post-filling sterilization up to 120°C for 80 min. Submitted by Korsini-SAF for brand owner The Kraft Heinz Co., the container keys into hygiene and product freshness. The pot and lid are injection-molded. The lid is decorated with a standard IML, and the pots are sealed with aluminum foil for long shelf life under ambient temperatures. The SuperLock® pot features a consumer-friendly, twist-off lid. Another advantage is that the pot and lid are both microwavable and 100% recyclable, which is indicated clearly by an on-pack recycling label.
Best In-Mold Decorated Package – Yogurt cup: The Almond Breeze Almondmilk Yogurt Alternative cup for brand owner Blue Diamond Growers was submitted by molder Polytainers, Inc. Its new dual-compartment Sidekick container offers efficiency on-shelf while delivering tangible sustainability results. Designed with thinner walls, thus reducing the amount of plastic used during manufacturing, both the container and IML label by Verstraete In-Mold Labels, a Multi-Color Co., are made with polypropylene, resulting in a 100% recyclable package so the consumer does not need to separate materials before recycling.
Best Part Design – Coffee capsule: Submitted by Verstraete In-Mold Labels, a Multi-Color Co., for brand owner Star Gate Innovations, the Ella Cappuccino package is said to be “convenience in a capsule,” delivering premium liquid espresso and low-fat milk in an instant. Via its barrier cup from molder Polyoak Dairy Pack Tubs, Ella has no artificial additives and is preservative-free with a shelf life of one year. The IML barrier labels prevent oxygen from entering the packaging, thus extending the shelf life and the aroma of the cappuccino.
Best Technical Achievement – Holographic closure: Molder United Caps partnered with label supplier Morphotonix, a high-tech brand protection company, to secure bottled products’ originality with a bio-inspired and sustainable closure design. Submitted by Morphotonix, the label maker’s nano-engraved steel cavities with 130,000-dpi precision, custom diffractive holograms 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.
Best In-Mold Decorated Durable Product – Pistol grips: Submitted by label supplier Taylor Communications for brand owner Heritage Manufacturing, Inc., the Heritage pistol-product line was extended and diversified with Taylor’s new development. Flexographic 3D-formable inks and custom 5-axis trim cells at molder Widgets, Ltd., provided the high-quality, custom graphics of woodgrain, metallic, pearlescent and other effects to be applied to the IMD process.
For more information, visit www.imdassociation.com.
