Rama metallic IML tubs shine at IPSA Gold Pack Awards

Smart move

As market leader in the South African spread category with 30%+ value share, Rama is a top brand in its category. Over the years, the 500g Rama Original brick has become one of the leading SKUs and a benchmark for the category with its recognizable copper-bronze foil wrapper.

In 2016, Rama’s original tub version was successfully upgraded to a metallic-look pack and sits comfortably on the shelf alongside the shiny Rama Original brick. This consolidates the branding in a consistent way that makes it easier for the Rama consumer to navigate the shopping aisle, thereby facilitating an easier shopping mission.

New development: Metallic IML

The award marks a breakthrough in South African in-mold labeling. Prior to this development, static electricity proved a major problem that stood in the way of the development of metallic IML labels. During the IML mold entry process static electricity is used to hold the label in place. Because full metallic labels are conductive, they dissipate static charging and this creates instability during injection of the polypropylene. This in turn causes label misalignment and product defects. Therefore, metallic labels are not easy to process under normal circumstances in standard molds.

Gerhard van Reenen, General Manager at RPC Astrapak Marcom, says: “In a joint venture involving RPC Astrapak Marcom and MCC Verstraete, a new label was created using cold-foil printing. The design parameters were amended to ensure that the foiled area did not exceed a specified limit. The solution was a partially foiled in-mold label that means certain areas of the tub are not foiled. To the naked eye, however, the entire tub looks metallic, which is testament to the consummate skill of the team. With this type of technology, static charges remain on the non-metallic part and keep the label stable during the injection process. In addition, this development was achieved using a standard, unmodified mold, which opens the way to metallized IML for a much larger market.”

Metallic IML provides the packaging with a look that is consistent with the product’s positioning: exclusivity. Your product stands out on the shelf and immediately catches the consumer’s eye. 

Joe Kaddoum, Regional Sales Manager Middle East & Africa at MCC Verstraete