Reverse IML: the perfect solution for Frylite

Self-adhesive labels have their place. In some situations they offer the perfect solution. But ask Aoife Doherty, Quality Manager at Frylite, and she will assure you that none of these situations involve the 20-litre buckets Frylite use to transport its range of cooking oils.“The labels just didn’t survive,” she explains. “We have a lot of manual handling and our labels were constantly damaged. They often peeled off. Or they didn’t retain their shape. The colors faded. They tore. You name it. They simply weren’t practical for us.”

Reuse

Frylite reuses its buckets. First, clients return used oil to Frylite in the buckets, allowing Frylite to clean, refill and send out the same bucket up to five times. However, the company began to notice buckets disappearing, an issue it put down to the ease with which the labels peeled off.“There were occasions when the buckets came back with the labels in top condition,” says Aoife. “But we put our buckets through a wash process which is like an industrial dishwasher. The labels rarely survived. Replacing them after each use was tiresome and time-consuming. We were determined to find a new solution. Which is why we contacted Corcoran.”

The tailored approach

Renowned for offering high-quality service, Corcoran Products supplies a wide range of PP and PET products to a variety of industries including Food Service, Agriculture, Pharmaceuticals and Industrial. This includes the BRC-approved containers used by Frylite.“We are known for offering bespoke products,” says Derek Lennon, Commercial Manager at Corcoran. “With our clients and our suppliers, we become actively involved in developing solutions that respond to increasingly sophisticated needs. It’s the best approach because everyone understands exactly what’s involved.”

This customized approach has seen Corcoran become actively involved in developing innovative new products that meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of its customers. There were a few ideas that immediately sprang to mind. Corcoran contacted its partner, injection molding experts, HK Plastics, to investigate options such as printing directly onto the buckets.

Reverse IML Labels

“We needed a solution that would stand up to the rigorous washing process the buckets undergo; it’s a caustic chemical wash administered with high-pressure blasting. Concepts like offset printing simply couldn’t survive it. We tried everything,” says Derek. “We had almost given up hope.”

“It was at this point we spoke to MCC Verstraete In Mold Labels about the issue,” says Joram Knol, Graphic Specialist in IML at HK Plastics. “Which is when Reverse IML started to show some real promise.”

“With Reverse IML Labeling, the printing is placed between the IML packaging and a thin polypropylene film,” explains Jan Van Iseghem, Regional Sales Manager for Northern Europe at MCC Verstraete. “This means the print is secure, protected from tearing and the rigors of transport and handling, and able to stand up to high-pressure cleaning, heat and chemicals without a problem.”

Committed to finding the right solution

We could see that IML Corcoran Products & HK Plastics understood exactly what we needed the labels to do. They were as committed to perfecting the process as we were. 

Aoife Doherty, Quality Manager at Frylite

“The team didn’t hesitate to make adjustments, run tests, go back to the drawing board and run through the whole process again,” says Derek. “ MCC Verstraete IML , HK Plastics and Corcoran: we all worked together to create a label that meets Frylite’s needs. And it’s great to see that we could do exactly that.”

“The Reverse IML labels were exactly what the doctor ordered,” says Aoife. “They allow us to wash and reuse the buckets time and again, without any signs of the three-color image fading and helping to achieve the Frylite Excellence Valve by meeting repeated customer expectations of excellent standards before the buckets are due to be recycled. It makes for great shelf presence. So wherever you go in Ireland, you’ll see the Frylite brand. There’s no longer a problem with buckets disappearing. It’s impossible not to recognize a Frylite bucket as a Frylite bucket.”