Henkel has worked with Pirlo and Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein to use tinplate cans made with CO2-reduced steel for contact adhesive products – a move set to reduce emissions by 62% compared to conventional tin cans.
To achieve this reduction, Pirlo is supplying Henkel with tinplate cans made from Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein’s Bluemint steel. This steel is manufactured using specially processed steel scrap in a blast furnace in a partial substitution of CO2-intensive raw materials; the process is independently verified and certified DNV and TÜV SÜD.
Pirlo takes the Bluemint steel and converts it into high-precision containers for adhesive applications, including Henkel’s Tangit-brand piping solutions and other contact adhesive products. The packaging is expected to meet Henkel’s requirements for stability, tightness, and compatibility with chemical products.
Henkel is also reported to be one of the first manufacturers to use Bluemint steel to package pipe adhesive products.
Apparently, over 80% of tinplate packaging is recycled in Europe, with Germany thought to recycle 94.3% of its tinplate in private end consumption. By lowering the CO2 emissions associated with the steel itself, the company hopes to bolster the environmental benefits of the final packaging.
“Sustainability is an integral part of our strategy, and the new packaging concept for tinplate cans is another strong demonstration of how we are delivering on our ambitious packaging targets – without compromising on the performance of our products,” explains Baptiste Chieze, director of Marketing, Digital & E-Commerce for consumer adhesives at Henkel.
“This is another important step to further reduce emissions in the production of our packaging to achieve our ambitions. At the same time, the use of Bluemint steel also strengthens the sustainable positioning of our leading brands such as Tangit among professional craftsmen and consumers.”
“With Bluemint Steel, we enable our customers to measurably improve the carbon footprint of their packaging – without compromising on quality, safety or processing performance,” adds Clarissa Odewald, CEO of Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein. “This collaboration demonstrates how ambitious sustainability targets can be jointly achieved along the entire value chain.”
Back in 2024, Thyssenkrupp Rasselstein’s Bluemint steel was nominated for a Sustainability Award under the Commercialized Climate category. Its manufacturing process was expected to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 69% compared to conventional tinplate, with the compnay emphasizing its collaboration with German brewery Westerwald-Brauerei to manufacture 5-litre party kegs for its Hachenburger beer.
In other news, Amcor previously joined forces with Flügger to implement 50% post-consumer recycled plastic into its new paint container. Together, the companies sought to cut down on virgin plastic without impacting pack quality or user experience.
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