At NPE 2015, Polyfuze Graphics Corp. (Booth S21106), formerly iMIG, will demonstrate its process for decoration of injection molded polyethylene and polypropylene parts.
“Our main goal for 2015 NPE is to help people understand how easy the Polyfuze graphic is to use and how superior it is compared to all other decoration methods for injection molded PE and PP,” said Marty Mares, general manager of Polyfuze in Clarkdale, Ariz. “Our graphic literally becomes one with the part it is applied to and will even expand and contract with the part during temperature changes.” Polyfuze uses the slogan “tattoo your plastic” in explaining its technology.
In the decorating arena, the Polyfuze application process competes mostly with heat transfers, hot stamp foil, in-mold labels and pressure-sensitive labels, he noted.
“These decorating methods are primarily ink based and utilize adhesives to try to stick to the surface of PE and PP,” Mares said. “Polyfuze is the only polymer-based graphic that fuses to PE and PP on a sub-surface level.”
For its NPE 2015 demonstration, Polyfuze will use a standard US25 hot stamp machine from Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s United Silicone business in Lancaster, N.Y.
Polyfuze's research-and-development team found ways to achieve durability while providing single and multi-color print capability and the opportunity to produce graphics with fine line detail.
After NPE 2015, Polyfuze plans to move operations a short distance to its own 37,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility in Clarkdale from its current campus location sharing an 87,000-square-foot site with jointly-owned Mold In Graphic Systems, which focuses mostly on decoration for rotational molded products.
Polyfuze's customer partnerships include Unarco Industries LLC of Wagoner, Okla.; Rehrig Pacific Co. of Vernon, Calif.; and Otto Environmental Systems North America Inc. of Charlotte, N.C.
“Based on this early success, our owners felt this division was worthy enough to stand on its own,” Mares noted.
The process of separation is underway. MIGS, which was formed in 1983, and Polyfuze employ a total of 110, have separate sales organizations and, for now, share services.
The business exhibited at NPE 2012 under the since-abandoned iMIG brand and changed to Polyfuze in January. The iMIG identity stood for “injection mold in graphic,” but it sounded too much like an in-mold label, Mares said. “Our technology is not in-mold labeling so we worked to come up with a new name.”
