When it comes to packaging, sustainability and smart solutions are more important than ever for consumers. This shift is happening fast and its consequences for the industry are immediate: Consumers are making their voices heard and flexing their buying power to foster a change that has far-reaching consequences along the whole value chain.
In line with these trends, Henkel will showcase a variety of adhesive solutions for labeling September 24-27 at the 2019 Labelexpo in Brussels at booth A22 in hall 5. There the company will focus on sustainability and smart labels, with the launch of a new pressure-sensitive wash-off label solution for PET and food-safe hotmelts.
“In order to identify themselves with brands today, consumers increasingly expect brand owners to make packaging smarter and more sustainable,” says Nathalie Delava, Business Director Pressure Sensitive Adhesives Europe at Henkel. “This has a strong impact on individual purchase decisions and therefore on the business success of retailers and brand owners. It is thus our duty as a responsible supplier to support our customers in being able to develop and offer more sustainable solutions. We are looking forward to presenting those solutions at this year’s Labelexpo.”
New product in support of the circular economy for PET bottles
Various studies show that the importance of sustainable packaging resonates strongly with consumers. About 70% of consumers would pay more for sustainable products. Some 90% of consumers feel that companies have to take care of the planet. This consumer perception is in line with where Henkel sees its own responsibility as a supplier and brand owner.
With the new Aquence PS 3682, Henkel offers a water-based pressure-sensitive adhesive solution with excellent wash-off characteristics. This means it can be removed from the PET package cleanly and easily.
“With Aquence PS 3682, we are delivering a technology that actively supports the establishment of a circular economy, as the labels can be easily washed off. This helps material separation in the recycling process and therefore enables a higher quality grade of recyclate,” explains Greg Douglas, Business Development for Tapes and Labels in Europe at Henkel. “We are eager to bring such technologies to the market.”
Increased food safety for hotmelt PSA labelsFood safety is key for consumers all around the world, and labels play a critical role in food contact and related applications. “With our Technomelt PS range, we offer food labeling solutions for a broad range of applications, including cold and wet surface labeling, filmic labels for milk bottles, direct food contact, fatty food labels as well as wine and beverages,” says Douglas. Mineral oil continues to be a major topic in the packaging and labeling industry, particularly when it comes to food safe applications.Henkel’s range of Technomelt PSAs opens up mineral-oil-free alternatives for its customers. For example, Technomelt PS 3212 is a pressure-sensitive adhesive created for permanent labels with a very good performance on cardboard and well-balanced adhesion and converting properties. It shares its excellent cutting properties – and of course food compliance – with Technomelt PS 3007, which is also suitable for thermo-linerless label applications.
Smarter labels for a smart futureThe world is getting smarter and so are packages: From luxury goods to pharmaceuticals and household goods, the demand for smart labels is on the rise. Growing capacities at the label producers open up completely new application cases for technology like NFC (Near Field Communication) or RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification). These application cases range from logistics, supply chain management, medical, and shopping to household applications, to name just a few. “The advantages and possibilities for smart labels are broad,” explains Elodie Picard, Global Market Strategy Manager for Tapes and Labels at Henkel. “Counteracting counterfeiting, regularly recording the temperature of sensitive articles, or tracking goods along the entire supply chain are just a few examples.”
