FDBusiness.com

– Alliance to combine Henkel’s expertise in hotmelt adhesives with DaniMer’s biopolymer science expertise

– First products to be ready for launch in the first half of 2013

Adhesives company Henkel and DaniMer Scientific, a recognized leader in bio-based material technology, have formed an alliance to develop hotmelt adhesives that use bio-based raw materials.

The initial target for these bio-based hotmelt adhesives will be the consumer packaging market, including applications of end-of-line and labeling.

The alliance will combine Henkel’s expertise in hotmelt adhesive formulation, application and global footprint with DaniMer’s expertise in biopolymer science, proprietary production capabilities and the company’s bio-based technology platform.

The intended ambition of this alliance is to bring to the marketplace a technology platform that includes a family of bio-based hotmelt adhesive formulations supplied globally.

Henkel and DaniMer expect the first products in the platform to be ready for market launch in the first half of 2013.

Gary Raykovitz, senior vice president of product development at Henkel Adhesive Technologies, said: ‘A large number of our customers in the consumer packaging industry have publicized projects to drive sustainability initiatives such as reducing carbon footprint of packaging materials, delivering on consumer driven environmental initiatives, and diversifying supply chains for packaging materials

‘Henkel and DaniMer, working together to solve these issues, is yet another confirmation that we will consistently deliver genuinely innovative technologies that enhance our customers’ efforts to achieve their sustainability goals.’

John Rye, vice president of the Consumer Packaging Group within Henkel Adhesive Technologies, said: ‘We are listening to our customers and Henkel is always seeking solutions to meet our customers’ needs.

‘Given the technology challenge for the use of renewable materials in adhesive formulations, we chose to partner with DaniMer who has consistently demonstrated leadership in bio-based material innovation by providing both performance and value.

‘We believe this technology, along with a range of other technologies Henkel is working on, will also play a role in assisting customers in reducing their dependence on petroleum based materials in their packaging operations.’

Henkel said DaniMer’s technology platform for bio-based hotmelt adhesives meets the needs that customers have been asking for, including being manufactured with a significant use of renewably sourced materials while supporting health and safety requirements for use of these materials in packaging applications.

DaniMer founder and chief executive officer Daniel Carraway said: ‘The renewably sourced feedstocks that we use to produce these specific hotmelt adhesives are not derived from any direct food chain resources.

‘They are also unique in that we have enabled the use of recycled renewable content in certain adhesive grades which allows us to further diversify our supply chain.

“The alliance announced today between Henkel and DaniMer will include development of a full family of bio-based hotmelt adhesives that can be applied to a wide range of customer operating needs, including general purpose end-of-line, high-performance end-of-line, labeling, and even specialized applications such as frozen food packaging.’