The Plastic Product Decorating Summit took place September 1-3, 2026, in Houston, Texas. The two-day event brought together professionals from both the direct-to-object printing/decorating and in-mold decorating/labeling industries to learn more on the latest technologies and current trends affecting the industries today.

Staying with tradition, the first evening of the Summit included a baseball game with the AAA Sugar Land Space Cowboys. It was a great night that included food, drink and time to network before the Summit began.

The next morning, the event kicked off with a keynote presentation from Laurie Harbour, Wipfli, where she discussed economic pressures and market demands and how plastic companies can succeed in the current environment. The morning continued with sessions on surface activation for direct-to-object decorating, packaging trends with IML, the value of pad printing components and consumables, and the advantages of molding simulation in IML/IMD.

During an expanded lunch, the Supplier Trade Fair took place for attendees to visit with leading suppliers for both in-mold and direct-to-object decorating processes.

The afternoon included sessions on diversifying in plastics labeling and decorating, laser surface texturing for decoration, why decorating projects fail, and a session on what’s possible with direct-to-object digital printing. Topics for later in the afternoon included solving design and production challenges with IML and IMD, electrostatics in decorating and labeling processes, and choosing the right decorating process.

Following the afternoon sessions, the 2026 IMDA Awards were presented (see award winners on page 40). Immediately following the awards, the day ended with a Supplier Trade Fair and IMDA Awards Reception.

“We are happy to have received an honorable mention at the IMDA Awards competition, and we were thrilled to participate in another edition of the Plastic Product Decorating Summit,” said Jordan Robertson, vice president, business development and marketing for StackTeck. “We always look forward to the networking that happens at this event.”

The second day of the Summit started with a keynote presentation from Derek Moeller, CognitionWorks, where he discussed the interesting topic of deploying AI in plastics molding and decorating. It also included the popular “Storyteller Sessions” on in-mold and direct-to-object decorating projects, where attendees received an inside look on how innovative decorating objectives were achieved for specific applications.

“It was a great few days at the 2026 Plastic Product Summit,” according to Rob Wilder, general manager for RAYN Technology. “We’re leaving Texas energized by the conversations we had, the opportunities ahead and the growing interest in what direct-to-part laser surface decoration can bring to plastics manufacturing.”

The 2027 Plastic Product Decorating Summit will take place October 11-13, 2027, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mark your calendars now!