ThermoWash™ Pressure Sensitive Labels for Returnable Bottles
Dear reader, Have you considered the benefits of wash off labels for returnable bottles? With the resurgence of returnable glass bottles, owing to their environmental benefits comes the question of bottle decoration. How do you ensure your brand stands out on shelf with a premium yet removable label construction? MCC has the perfect solution: ThermoWash™ labels easily detach from the bottles in the washing process consistent with traditional paper labels. This allows a new label to take advantage of the graphical benefits of pressure sensitive each and every bottle trip. In this article, you can read all about the features and benefits of this technology and how our customers have utilized this to help make their packaging more sustainable.
Cheers! The MCC Beverage Team
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In this issue
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Glass Packaging
The sustainable choice
What is ThermoWash™?
Authentic Brazilian Beer
Visit our website www.mcclabel.com/en/beverage to discover more on how our premium label solutions can meet your needs.
“ThermoWash™ Pressure Sensitive Labels for Returnable Bottles” is a publication of MCC. Copyright © by MCC. All rights reserved. The content of this document, including all copy, images, and attachment(s) are property of MCC and should be treated as confidential. It cannot be shared with or forwarded to third parties and cannot be published without MCC’s prior permission. If you have any questions regarding the use of this document, please email marketing@mcclabel.com.
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The power of glass packaging
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The benefits of glass packaging are clear: It’s 100% recyclable, reusable, refillable and, according to FEVE (The European Glass Federation) the top choice for environmentally conscious consumers. In recent years, the practice of returning bottles has become less familiar in favor of new materials such as aluminum. However, with an increased focus on sustainability and an average of over 20 lives, the reuse of glass containers is experiencing a comeback within the beverage market. In order to be used multiple times, the bottles are designed slightly differently but what
about the labels? Beverage manufacturers are accustomed to the graphic and performance benefits of pressure sensitive labels. However, traditional constructions are not compatible with returnable bottle systems. Standard non-returnable (one-way) pressure sensitive labels do not release cleanly in the bottle washing process, causing efficiency and contamination issues.
Read on to discover how MCC is addressing this problem with its ThermoWash™ technology.
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What is ThermoWash™? Pressure Sensitive Labels, engineered especially for returnable glass. Printed on MCC’s in-house wash off material, the single use labels easily detach from bottles in the washer.
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This technology is designed to be complimentary to the traditional paper wash-off labels, requiring no changes to the majority of bottle washing machines.
How does the technology work? The face material of ThermoWash™ is made from shrinkable film combined with a custom-designed adhesive within a traditional pressure sensitive construction. The label is designed to detach cleanly from the bottle and is easily removable from the bottle washer.
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Are there design limitations? No, this technology allows all the aesthetic and design benefits of traditional pressure-sensitive labels. We have seen excellent graphic reproduction with the incorporation of specialty inks, the use of high-opacity white ink and brilliant metallic inks. ThermoWash™ technology also allows to run label promotions for limited time periods without requiring any changes to the bottle.
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ThermoWash™ labels are a key component in the MCC sustainability portfolio. Significant objectives for many of our customers include reducing the carbon footprint. Enabling the reuse of glass bottles is one way to achieve this.” Richard Gilliatt, Technical Director at MCC
Product Benefits • Utilizes all existing print methods while available in white, metalized and clear constructions • Graphics can be surface or sub-surface printed and ink jet laser coding are available • Applies at speeds equal to current pressure sensitive labels up to 1,000 bottles per minute • Withstands filling and distribution environments, including ice-water baths, with no adverse effects • Adapts to any bottle shape and can be guillotined or die-cut
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The sustainable choice On a ThermoWash™ label the inks and adhesives remain attached to the label substrate through the entire label removal process. If ThermoWash™ labels are separated from other waste material in the washer, these labels can be recycled as mixed plastic where local regulations permit.
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Environmentally Friendly: • Provides acceptable caustic pollution levels • Testing against DIN method 16524-7 and INCO 69 • Inks and adhesives remain attached to the label substrate through the entire label removal process • Krones, KHS and SIG washer approvals • Labels can be incinerated • Withstands severe aging and harsh environments
We make Limited Editions for platforms like UCL, Rugby, Formula 1, Bond movies and festive labels to increase excitement for our consumers in the Off and On Premise channels.” Ramses Dingenouts, Senior Packaging & Identity Design Manager at Heineken International
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Take a look at Heineken’s limited edition bottles. 22 label designs printed using ThermoWash™ technology for returnable glass. Heineken has a global partnership with Formula 1®, and wanted to do something special for the return of the Grand Prix to the Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands. The idea was to customize its bottles with a limited edition series of Formula 1® labels.
22 labels for 22 countries “There are 22 labels in the collection, each one displays the country and its race track. They are designed by VBAT and printed by Multi-Color Corporation in Helligenstadt, Germany. Due to the number of different colors on the 22 variable flag designs it was a challenging label to print. The labels incorporate CMYK colors, 2 x white and high brilliance silver for a premium look. MCC is highly cooperative and simplifies the most complicated jobs. This project involved seemingly unsurmountable challenges from a design point of view, but MCC always makes it happen”, says Ramses Dingenouts.
ThermoWash™ for returnable glass We used filmic pressure sensitive labeling technology. This allows the glass bottles to be reused. The pressure sensitive, returnable labels were printed on our wash off material called ThermoWash™. As a result, the Heineken bottle can be rebranded for later use. Offering the same graphic and performance benefits of traditional, single use pressure sensitive labels.
Interested in Sustainable label options? Download our Beverage Sustainability Roadmap
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Authentic Brazilian Beer Dating back to 1888, Brahma is the most traditional local beer brand in Brazil and one of the oldest in its market. Owned by Ambev, the brand is the main focus for the company in this region, despite the introduction of international brands such as Budweiser and Becks. In 2020, the principal focus was the launch of the Brahma Duplo Malte. A sophisticated combination of pilsner and munich malt. Throughout the year, promotions were targeted, via virtual platforms, towards staying at home to try the new Brahma beer. The product entered the market with just the 600ml bottle and cans so the expectation for the subsequent launch of a more contemporary, long neck bottle was high.
Sustainability Goals With Sustainability as a key focus, the innovation department was searching for a way to reduce the packaging’s footprint. Inspired by another project with MCC using wash-off labels, they developed their first returnable, long neck bottle. MCC’s ThermoWash™ technology is a pressure sensitive label construction, designed to detach easily in the washing process. Successfully tested in Brazil a few months earlier with the Beck’s 600ml, ThermoWash™ was the perfect solution for the launch of the returnable bottle. Whilst benefiting from the aesthetic advantages of the Pressure Sensitive Label, the ThermoWash™ construction meets the company’s sustainability targets. On a ThermoWash™ label, the inks and adhesives remain attached to the substrate throughout the entire label removal process so there is no risk of contamination.
A swift success With just four weeks before launch, MCC had to deal internally with extreme urgency in order to match
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Since the beginning of this project, the MCC team was very accessible and helped us at each step throughout the flow. Apart from the fact that label has an excellent quality, the customer service is amazing and quick. Great experience at logistics and planning.” Gustavo Galdini, Solutions - ADL – Foreign Trade at Ambev
the color standards, specifications and produce a considerably high quantity on time to send by air and meet the customer’s necessities. PSL ThermoWash™ material was quickly approved and valued by the whole marketing, innovation and brand team. The launch was a huge success, producing twice as much than planned for the first quarter. Following the success of this project, the company will expand the use of ThermoWash™ technology to other brands and regions in South America.
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3 reasons to get in touch with our ThermoWash™ experts around the globe.
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From material selection to choosing the optimum prinitng process, we guide you through every step.
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Talk about the environmental benefits that ThermoWash™ labels can offer.
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Work together for smooth integration and ongoing technical support.
Our ThermoWash™ expert Richard Gilliatt, Technical Director at MCC Contact: marketing@mcclabel.com