Paper labels lighten the load on injection moulded containers, company

By Rory Harrington

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Stora enso

InnoMould paper labelling
InnoMould paper labelling
A newly launched specialty paper material that can replace film labels on injection moulded packaging delivers significant lightweighting potential and other sustainability benefits, said Stora Enso.

The Scandinavian packaging company said the global launch of its InnoMould paper will allow industry to slash the amount of non-renewable material needed for injection moulded plastic - mainly polypropylene - packaging.

Until now, a printed label film has been used and placed in the mould before injecting plastic melt to create a finished container.

Stora Enso said these can now be replaced with its innovative paper label, thus boosting the package’s renewable material content.

The labels can be used for injection-moulding processes for pots for yoghurt and dairy products, as well as containers for processed fish and butter, said the Finland-based company.

Lightweighting potential

It claimed that the properties of the specialty paper can lead to lightweighting the container by as much as 50 per cent.

“The paper combines with the plastic melt to an integral unit that is much stiffer than packaging made using a conventional film label,”​ said Stora Enso. “The higher bearing pressure of the pot permits higher stacking and the walls of the pots can be produced with up to 50 per cent less material. That means brand owners can easily achieve a significant reduction in the percentage of non-renewable materials in their packaging.”

When asked for cost comparisons between the paper and film labels, a company spokesman told FoodProductionDaily.com that the main incentive was the “total package”​ and the opportunity for brand owners to demonstrate their green credentials.

“By using paper, you improve the strength of the container itself and save lot of PP costs,”​ he said.

Material savings of 20-30 per cent were easily achievable, with the rest realised by working on the container design and adjusting the manufacturing process, he added.

“Wall thickness is the key, by utilizing stiffness properties of the paper. Overall you can also say paper pricing is much more stable long term. And a major factor is sustainability. Using paper made of renewable resources is key for brand owners today,​ “said the spokesman.

Outstanding printability

The firm also said use of InnoMould labels gives “outstanding printing results”.​ The spokesman said that paper was the “optimal material’ ​for printing despite recent advances in print quality on films.

Stora Enso said the specialty paper supports the use of high-resolution visuals and a huge raft of colours, including gold and silver.

“That makes it possible to achieve the kind of realistic aesthetics that are important for maximum advertising impact at the point of sale (POS), especially when it comes to foodstuffs and luxury items,”​ it added.

The spokesman said the labels had already “successfully undergone extensive testing under real-life conditions”​ – as a small number of brand owners had been using them for around a year.

The product, which he described as a “clear innovation”,​ has now been made available worldwide.

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