Method of attaching a sheetlike object, e.g., a label, to a hollow body of plastics

Method of blow-molding a hollow body of plastic material, espcially of vessel or bottle shape, and applying a sheet-like element (23) forming a label on the hollow body (26') as the hollow body is being made,

• comprising the steps of
• hot-extruding a hollow element from an extrusion nozzle (27);
• applying the label to the hollow element as it is being extruded and while the hollow element is suspended from the extrusion nozzle, by pressing at least a portion of the label against the hot surface of the hollow element upon the hollow element being extruded by, and while still suspended from the extrusion nozzle in advance of blow-molding, while free of the blow mold and while still hot consequent to hot-extrusion, to preliminarily adhere the sheet-like element (23) on the hollow element;
• then introducing the extruded hollow element, with the sheet-like element preliminarily and at least in part adhered thereto, into a blow mold (15) between the outer surface of the hollow element and the inner wall of the blow mold;
• and then introducing pressurized gas into the blow mold to expand the hollow element, form the hollow element into the shape of the body and to finally adhere the sheet-like element to the hollow element over the entire surface of the sheet-like element as the sheet-like element and the plastic material are being pressed against the walls of the mold by blow-molding the hollow element.