IML – doing nicely
More than 80 delegates from all over Europe attended the first-ever European Conference on In-Mold Labeling, IMLCON08, organized by AWA. Speakers reported that IML has only 3 percent of the total European label market, but is showing rapid growth, particularly for very long runs, e.g., for ice cream or margarine tubs.
In Europe, the preferred technology is injection molding, as opposed to blow molding and nearly all IML labels are synthetic, said AWA President Corey Reardon. Europe’s total market for IML is estimated at €180 million, or just under half of the total world market, with a respectable growth rate of 6 to 8 percent.