Process and apparatus for producing tyres for vehicle wheels

A process for producing tyres for vehicle wheels comprising:

• building a green tyre comprising a carcass structure, a tread band arranged in a radially outer position with respect to the carcass structure and a pair of sidewalls associated with the carcass structure on opposite sides with respect to an equatorial plane (M-M) of the green tyre;
• providing a vulcanization mold comprising a first half-shell, a second half-shell opposite the first half-shell, and a crown of circumferential sectors, wherein the circumferential sections are configured to air-tightly couple with the first half-shell and second half-shell when the vulcanization mold is closed;
• arranging one or more label in a predetermined position on a first support surface defined in at least one of the first half-shell and second half-shell, wherein the first support surface having a predetermined first surface profile and the one or more label comprises a layer of colored cross-linkable elastomeric material;
• holding in position the one or more label on the first support surface;
• arranging the green tyre inside the vulcanization mold wherein the sidewalls of the green tyre rests on the first support surface;
• closing the vulcanization mold;
• and
• co-vulcanizing the green tyre and the one or more label inside the vulcanization mold, wherein at least one initial part of the co-vulcanization is carried out while the one or more label is held in position on the first support surface.