Austrian packaging manufacturer Greiner Packaging (Kremsmünster; www.greiner.at) said it has introduced thermoformed cups made of polypropylene and decorated with in-mould labelling (IML). The monomaterial solution is as easy to print as it is to recycle, the company said.

Compared to injection moulding, where IML is widely used, thermoforming can save around 25% of material for a comparable size of the container, according to Greiner. “The cup weight of a 500 ml cup is thus reduced from 15 gm to 11.4 gm.” The Austrian company has initially invested in a test tool for 500 ml cups with a diameter of 95 mm.

The process places a PP label in the thermoforming tool, where it is bonded firmly to the finished product during manufacturing, and moulding and decorating occur in a single step. The film used for thermoforming can also have barrier properties to extend the shelf life of foodstuffs.