Laser Marking

Laser Marking Additives for High-Contrast Permanent Etching

Our laser marking additives enable plastics to be permanently marked with industrial lasers. Ideal for the automotive, medical, and packaging industries, this solution allows digital designs to be transformed into high-quality, precise surface marks. We can include a laser marking additive directly within your colour masterbatch or compound. This ensures seamless integration into your existing production setup without the need to dose an additional material.

Why Choose Laser Marking Additives?

Permanent, high-durability marks:
Unlike inks that fade or scratch, permanent surface etching ensures critical information and safety data remain legible throughout the product’s lifetime. A great attribute for high-touch or long life applications.

Enhanced recycling & mono-materials:
Eliminating paper labels, inks, and adhesives preserves a true mono-material solution. This improves compatibility with modern recycling sorting systems and helps to uphold the purity of recycled plastic feedstocks.

Efficiency & flexibility:
Switching from traditional labelling to a digital, consumable-free process reduces material costs and gives manufacturers maximum flexibility for variable data and batch production. By eliminating the need for external labels and inks, you not only reduce your consumable overhead but also remove the labour and machinery costs associated with secondary surface decoration.

Premium brand differentiation:
Designers can create intricate graphics, high-contrast branding, and premium textures on plastic surfaces without significant cost increases.

The benefits of laser marking

Tactile surface design

Beyond functional data, laser technology opens creative possibilities. Detailed, tactile surface designs can elevate your product or packaging by delivering a premium feel. They can provide differentiation on the shelves, enhance consumer experience and become a fundamental part of your brand or product identity.

Permanent and durable identification

Laser marking etches the plastic surface directly, creating permanent, indestructible marks. Unlike inks or labels that peel, fade, or scratch, this method ensures essential information remains legible for the product’s lifespan. It’s an ideal solution for packaging, outdoor tags – subject to extreme weather and high-touch applications, such as automotive controls, that must withstand years of frequent use.

Improved recyclability

Traditional labels introduce secondary materials and adhesives that contaminate recycling streams and can block signals during NIR recycling. Laser marking enables mono-material solutions and helps to ensure plastic packaging is correctly identified by NIR sorting sensors. Improving the recyclability of packaging can unlock substantial EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) fee-related savings.

Batch flexibility

Laser marking offers a versatile alternative to traditional labelling. By using software-driven digital files rather than physical plates for printed artwork, it supports small batches and individualisation. Avoiding the constraints of labels allows for high-end aesthetics and rapid implementation of any design changes.

Cost-effective production

Designed for efficiency, laser marking can be a cheaper alternative to external decorative processes. It eliminates the need for consumables like inks and labels and reduces the complexity of your inventory management and application machinery.

Optimised for performance

Whether you require dark marking on light surfaces, light marking on dark, or specific colour changes, we’ll provide a solution to meet your needs. In-house laser marking technology enables us to test and optimise your formulation for performance and cost.

Seamless manufacturing integration

We can supply laser marking technology as a stand-alone additive or incorporate it into your custom colour masterbatch or compound. We can provide laser marking additives for many different polymers.