Henkel Adhesive Technologies is adding water-based barrier and heat seal coatings to its paper coatings portfolio, intending to improve the functionality of paper-based packaging and facilitate design-for-recycling.
The new coatings are designed to seal securely on paper-based materials and, depending on the product, provide barriers against grease, water, and moisture. This is expected to unlock applications previously restricted to plastic packaging or multi-layer composite materials.
Suitable for both primary and secondary packaging, the coatings are approved for food contact in line with EU and FDA regulations. They are reportedly repulpable and recyclable, and are intended to help manufacturers and brand owners align with incoming sustainability legislation, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
Henkel believes the solutions will suit packaging formats that require a seam, including bags, sachets, and shipping packaging for dry food, hygiene products, and small items like screws and toys.
The coatings are thought to facilitate thermal conjunction at low temperatures and on high-speed lines, and to integrate easily into standard coating and packaging processes. A UV tracer version is also available to support application monitoring, quality management, and process reliability during use.
“With our expanded paper coatings portfolio, we enable paper-based packaging that is ready for current market demands,” says Dr. Arianna Savini, market strategy manager Paper Packaging Europe at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. “By providing the necessary barrier and sealing properties for numerous applications in the food and non-food sectors, we are not only supporting the shift towards recyclable packaging solutions but also helping customers to achieve their sustainability targets within the scope of the PPWR.”
The development comes after Henkel launched Loctite Liofol CS 7106 RE, the ‘first’ cold seal solution designed for barrier-coated paper packaging. Designed to create a secure seal without heat exposure, the coating is suitable for secondary packaging that previously required plastic structures, alongside collection cards or snack and confectionery packaging.
In other news, Henkel Adhesive Technologies has entered a strategic collaboration with Sekab to replace conventional ethyl acetate with a biobased alternative in the adhesive production process. This initiative forms part of Henkel’s goals to achieve drop-in renewable product formulations, help customers achieve their climate goals, and reduce its own climate footprint.
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