As the interest in in-mold decoration for durable product applications continues to grow, molders and their customers must evaluate the advantages of in-mold decoration to other methods of decoration (i.e. hot stamping, pad printing and decal application). Although an in-mold label is often more cost effective than a pressure sensitive decal, the advantage may be less clear when compared to hot stamping and pad printing. Of course there are always conditions in which one method of decoration is the only effective method for decoration because of size or shape, but most applications are not that clear cut. Identifying and valuing the subtle differences and costs around competing decorating methods is often difficult.
The purpose of this article is to provide a framework and methodology to help molders and their customers capture the value of in-mold decoration for an application and compare it to the value of alternative methods. This model should provide a basic set of questions and considerations that can be used to identify the total costs and determine the ultimate value of a decorating method.