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Slash energy costs and reclaim floor space with UV hot melt
J
ennifer Heathcote, vice president of business development for GEW, recently headlined a webinar to address a pivotal shift in the market: why UV acrylic hot melt technology has finally reached a tipping point for businesses seeking efficiency and environmental compliance.
THE EVOLUTION OF SUSTAINABILITY AND PRESSURE
As Heathcote explains, the push toward sustainability has moved through several distinct phases. From the Clean Air Act of 1963 to the more recent Scope one, two and three emissions reporting required by the EU’s CSRD, the regulatory burden on manufacturers is intensifying. “We need to be looking at processes that can be done more efficiently, that use less energy,” Heathcote notes, emphasising that rising energy costs - expected to continue for the next five to ten years - are a primary driver for technological change. Historically, converters relied on water-based or solvent-based adhesives. While water-based options are often marketed as sustainable, they require massive amounts of energy to evaporate the water carrier. Solvent-based systems, meanwhile, necessitate energy- intensive incineration to manage volatile organic compounds (VOCs) before they reach the atmosphere. UV hot melt offers a “100 per cent solids” solution: the manufacturers remove the solvents before the adhesive even reaches the converter, allowing for a process that is both cleaner and significantly more energy- efficient.
WHY UV HOT MELT IS A GAME-CHANGER UV acrylic hot melt technology, while developed in the 1980s, is now seeing a surge in adoption because it solves several modern manufacturing dilemmas simultaneously. 1. Unmatched versatility with a single product: One of the most striking advantages Heathcote highlights is the ability to tune adhesive properties on the fl y. By simply adjusting the UV output, converters can manipulate the balance between “shear” and “tack”. • Higher UV dose: Increases the internal cohesion and shear strength
• Lower UV dose: Enhances the stickiness or tack of the adhesive. This allows a converter
to produce a wide range of products using a single adhesive SKU, drastically reducing inventory complexity
2. Dramatic floor space savings: Traditional lines require long tunnel dryers to manage water or solvents. In contrast, UV hot melt lines are remarkably compact. Heathcote showcases a production line for a 63-inch web that is only 32 feet long. For businesses looking to add capacity without expanding their physical footprint, UV technology is often the only viable choice.
3. Enhanced performance in extreme environments: Unlike rubber-based hot melts, which can soften and flow if they are reheated, UV-cured acrylics are “cross-linked” by the UV light. This makes them ideal for industrial and automotive components, medical devices, and building materials where the adhesive must withstand heat and environmental stress without failing.
THE PATH TO TRANSITION
Switching to UV hot melt does require a shift in equipment, moving from flexo, gravure, or roll coater stations to slot die application. The process involves heating the bulk adhesive in a drum unloader, passing it through a melt tank and applying it via a slot die over a chilled roller before it passes under UV curing lamps. Heathcote categorises these adhesives into two main types: • Free radical: Typically for thinner coat weights (0-4 mils), these react instantly when exposed to UV light
• Cationic: Used for thicker coat weights (over 7 mils), these use UV to initiate a reaction that
continues even after the material leaves the light source
CONCLUSION: WHY SWITCH NOW? The transition to UV hot melt is a rare opportunity where environmental stewardship aligns perfectly with operational profit. By eliminating solvents and VOCs, converters can simplify their regulatory reporting (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) while simultaneously slashing energy bills and reclaiming valuable factory floor space.
As global brands ramp up their sustainability pledges, they will naturally gravitate toward partners using the most efficient technologies. Converters who adopt UV hot melt now are not just saving energy; they are future-proofing their business against a rapidly changing global market.
READY TO SEE THE TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION?
To dive deeper into the technical specifications and see the full range of sustainability data Jennifer Heathcote presented, watch the full webinar on GEW’s website, to learn how their UV curing systems can transform your production line into a modern, sustainable powerhouse:
24
April 2026
www.convertermag.com
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