Heat Transfer for Industrial Containers

What types of information are often applied to reusable, industrial and bulk containers?

Heat transfer equipment is often used to apply logos, warnings and instructions onto a number of industrial containers. Highly repeatable, durable decoration can be applied to large containers with quality heat transfer equipment.

What is heat transfer decoration? Why would an industrial container brand chose heat transfer decoration over hot stamp decoration?

The most notable difference between hot stamp and heat transfer decoration is the visual distinction in the number of colors used. Hot stamp decoration most often uses a single color foil whereas heat transfer decoration uses film pre-printed with multi-color images (heat transfer labels).

While hot stamp and heat transfer decoration processes are very similar, different types of dies are used. The molds for hot stamp dies carry the image to be used. They are more complex than the molds used for heat transfer decoration where no graphic image is carried on the die. This is because for heat transfer decoration- the decorated image comes from the heat transfer label itself. This allows heat transfer systems to use simpler dies. 

What are reusable or industrial containers?

Many different types of containers fit in this category. They are often called reusable, industrial or bulk containers. Examples include waste/recycling bins, pallets, totes, crates, boxes, pails/buckets and sanitation supplies. Pails and buckets applications that widely use heat transfer decoration.

What unique considerations are important to consider when applying heat transfer decoration to reusable, industrial and bulk containers?

Like in most markets, industrial and reusable container manufacturers require repeatable, high quality decorations. Achieving highly durable print is especially important in this market as these containers are meant to have long lives- often in rugged outdoor and factory environments. In some cases due to their unique shape and large size, decorating these containers often require machines with greater throat depth for additional part clearance as well as customized tooling.

Decoration requirements vary significantly from one bulk container format to another. The United Silicone team has over 40 years’ experience in identifying the optimal decorating solution for each application based on production needs, end user adhesion specifications and container/decorating area geometries. Several of our reusable container solutions are completely unique-in-the-market. We are proud to partner with many of the leading container manufactures and end user brands in the market today.

Heat Transfer Decoration for Waste Bins

Many varieties of waste containers and bins are deep and require specialized heat transfer equipment. United Silicone revolutionized the decoration of deep reusable containers by providing an industry-leading 16-inch throat depth for heat transfer decoration in an affordable 2.5-ton system. United Silicone also provides specialized tooling to accommodate large waste containers.

Typical waste container applications for heat transfer decoration include:

Heat Transfer Decoration for Pails

At United Silicone we are proud of the reputation our pail decorating equipment has earned as best-in-class. We offer manual load to fully automated bucket hot stamp systems.

Our systems decorate industrial pails, commercial pails and consumer pails. We have expertise in round, square and rectangular plastic pail decoration.

Heat Transer Decoration for Trays, Crates & Bins

Reusable trays, crates and bins come in a wide range of sizes and shapes. Material handling bins, transport trays for food and beverage products, and dairy crates all require different decorating approaches.  Identifying the best decoration solution for each application requires a careful study of container/decorating area geometries, production needs and end user adhesion specifications.

Typical applications for heat transfer decoration include:

• Agricultural Crates
• Beverage and Bakery Trays
• Beverage Coolers
• Bulk Boxes
• Collapsible/Foldable Containers
• Food Handling Containers
• Nestable Totes

The US 25-E system revolutionized deep container decoration by providing a 16 inch throat depth in an affordable 2.5 ton system. This represents a 60% increase in the throat depth compared to what was previously possible from a hot stamp machine of this size. Prior to the launch of the US25-E, containers that required more than 10 inch throat depth required a more costly 12 ton system. The US 25-E represents cost savings of up to 40% or roughly $20,000 per system.

Additionally, the US 25-E accommodates parts up to 3x larger in size than traditional systems. While traditional frames provide up to 16 inch part clearance, The US 25 E-Frame and Reverse Mount applications allow for up to 51 inch clearance.