Adhesive Applications
Fast, compliant adhesivesdesigned to meet flexible packaging demands
In a world so fast-paced that we can sometimes feel there is hardly time to eat, consumers and supermarkets are increasingly expecting greater speed and convenience from packaged food
H
ere, Frédéric Di Monte, business manager, flexible packaging EIMEA at
global adhesive provider, H.B. Fuller, explains how this demand is being met. The answer lies in smart flexible packaging (flex pack), enhanced by adhesive innovation and investment in a growing market segment. It is easy to see why the flex pack market is
growing so rapidly. Consumers are looking for convenient options and have been won over by easy-open and close pouches, microwaving food in its own container, and eating straight from convenience packs, for example. There is an appetite for compact, lightweight design, which makes food easier to store and carry, while reducing CO2 emissions during transit. Protecting food from damage and keeping it fresh, to avoid food waste, is another advantage for sustainability-conscious buyers. In addition, flex pack offers manufacturers great scope for making brands stand out through aesthetically attractive packaging design.
THE HIGH-SPEED CHALLENGE The need for faster flex pack production is a big challenge for converters and the whole packaging supply chain. To maintain a competitive edge they must respond quickly to changing consumer and manufacturer demands, and to new opportunities created by technological breakthroughs and fashions in packaging. In fact, to maximise profits and grow their businesses converters and packaging
manufacturers must make each process quicker, while ensuring their products are safe and compliant with food legislation. Adhesives allowing fast processing and curing
are essential to getting flexible packaged products to market in the shortest time, while also avoiding the need for high inventories. Having the agility to make quick switches of the laminate product on the line, and to use an adhesive suitable for a wide range of substrate combinations, is another great advantage. With a long pan life, to reduce downtime and waste, converters are better equipped to manage the shorter, more personalised runs often required by today’s food manufacturers. The speed of change also means converters
need easy and reliable access to advice and support in the field from people who understand the food packaging sector and supply chain, and have the expertise and experience to help solve their particular challenges. An adhesive partner with a product portfolio that covers a wide performance range, and offers expertise on food safety legislation and issues such as compatibility between adhesives, printer inks and substrates, is invaluable in ensuring they deliver legally compliant products to the supermarket.
INVESTMENT, INNOVATION AND SUPPORT H.B. Fuller is investing heavily in the flex pack sector to respond to the growing demand for laminating adhesives and support. A clear sign of this commitment is its expanding product range that supports all applications from general-purpose to advanced, high-performance laminates. “Our major investment in flex pack technology
includes the recent installation of a laboratory- scale laminator at our R&D Adhesive Academy in Lüneburg,” says Di Monte. “Here, experts gather together with customers to share knowledge and find solutions to a wide variety of adhesive and packaging challenges. The new equipment will allow us to demonstrate our adhesive capability in customers’ specific applications, and speed up new product development, as well as troubleshoot existing problems. “Businesses in the sector will see a greatly
increased H.B. Fuller presence, as we are deploying extra staff with expertise in flex pack to serve customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Another response in flex pack for food applications has been the expansion of capacity at our plant in Italy for both solvent- free and solvent-based lamination adhesives.
24 March 2017 “We are investing more than ever in the work
of our R&D teams, which is essential to our strategy for supporting flex pack customers in the food industry. Building on H.B. Fuller’s 130-year track record of innovation, our advances in adhesive speed, effectiveness, versatility and cost- effectiveness will be vital to converters’ future success in this market.”
uwww.hbfuller.com
H.B. Fuller’s lamination test facilities in Luneburg
HALL A5 STAND 1053 At ICE Europe in Munich, Germany on March 21-23, H.B. Fuller will showcase its comprehensive range of fast, food-compliant laminating adhesives and its recent flex pack related investments. In addition to an expanding line-up of
adhesive solutions covering everything from general purpose to high performance, the company will take the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to supporting the flexible packaging sector. “Our aim is to give converters everything
they need to maintain a competitive edge and grow their business,” says Frédéric Di Monte. “Speed is vital. They must be able to respond quickly to rapidly changing customer, manufacturer and supermarket packaging demands. The adhesives they use must be fast, agile and versatile, to make all processes more efficient and to get flexible-packaged food products to the market in the shortest possible time. They must also, of course, comply with food legislation. And along with access to the right adhesives, they must have advice and support from field staff with deep knowledge of the issues involved.”
www.convertermag.co.uk
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