Henkel launches heat seal coating to enable PE-replacement certified-recyclable paper
14 May 2020 --- Henkel’s adhesives and coatings business has expanded its RE range of recyclable packaging solutions with a newly launched heat seal coating which is certified as recyclable with paper. Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE has already celebrated its first success in packaging Sofidel’s toilet paper, with food packaging options also possible. The design highly increases recyclability, which aligns with the German chemical and consumer goods company’s goal to “redefine how packaging can be designed” as circular economy targets loom on the horizon.
“Our goal is to bring a new perspective into the process: We want to rethink how packaging is made from the very beginning. Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE opens up new and sustainable design possibilities by enabling the replacement of PE with paper in a wide range of primary and secondary packaging,” explains Brian Stephenson, Product Development Coatings at Henkel.
Certified for its recyclability for paper, the coating heat seals to both paper and itself. This sets new standards in terms of repulpability, food safety and flexibility of the paper. It also raises the bar in industrial processing: It maintains the highest levels of sealability when being processed at high machine speeds, significantly increasing performance. Moreover, the innovation is compatible with any type of ink and has a good flexibility to paper substrates, tested by independent institutes confirming its an ideal fit for paper packaging, the company says.
These characteristics make Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE a very versatile coating covering a broad span of applications – from hygiene products and tea bags to industrial hardware pouches and chocolate overwrap – without compromising on performance or product safety. This launch aims to reach multiple application areas, considering its potential in supporting the transition from PE packages to paper-based ones.
Case study: Toilet paper packaging
Henkel’s innovative solution has already borne fruits in its recent collaboration with global tissue paper manufacturer Sofidel. In its quest for a plastic packaging alternative for its toilet paper brand Regina, Sofidel turned to Henkel for its Loctite Liofol solution. Working closely with two converters, Henkel ran a series of tests applying the latest RE addition on paper for Sofidel.
The coatings matched all the requirements of Sofidel and are now used as the heat seal grade for Sofidel’s recyclable toilet paper packaging. Building on this success, Sofidel plans to expand the use of this package to other European markets and for other products in its range.
“Loctite Liofol HS 2809-22 RE makes completely new approaches in packaging design possible. Thanks to its proven recyclability and food safety certification, we can enable the use of paper packaging in a wide range of applications without compromising on performance and safety,” concludes Davide Coppola, Business Development Manager Coatings at Henkel.
This comes as the most recent innovation in Henkel’s moves toward a more circular economy, following a 50 percent recycled polypropylene (rPP) cardboard-plastic solution for its Persil brand’s 4in1 DISCS detergent. Last October, Henkel produced bottles using 100 percent chemically recycled plastic for the first time.
Edited by Anni Schleicher
