Henkel Presents an Innovative Hotmelt for Pressure-Sensitive Labels

The production of high-grade pressure-sensitive labels for consumer goods and industrial applications is a highly specialized industry segment with huge growth potential.

18/05/07 Henkel presents an innovative hotmelt for pressure-sensitive labels.

Sitting pretty

Pressure-sensitive labels have to meet high standards of quality, their machinability and dispensing behavior being just as important as the visual impact. For premium consumer goods in the personal and home care sector in particular, the label has to sit tight to the very last drop – even when exposed to high mechanical stressing. Innovative adhesives systems from Henkel may be the solution.

The production of high-grade pressure-sensitive labels for consumer goods and industrial applications is a highly specialized industry segment with huge growth potential. Because in the consumer goods sector, the packaging and product labels are rapidly becoming key quality factors. In the branded goods industry, product managers and packaging engineers therefore focus strongly on both. In terms of functionality and esthetics, innovative adhesives are indispensable for satisfying the tough requirements of the consumer goods industry.

As a leading global supplier, Henkel was quick to realize this and developed suitable systems solutions for the industry’s specific needs. Having engineered a comprehensive portfolio of pressure-sensitive adhesives for applications with a “no label” look, Henkel has now achieved a breakthrough in another area, from which all premium products in the personal and home care industries will benefit. New Technomelt 8707 hotmelt holds the label firmly in place even in the face of repeated high stressing.

Immaculate appearance and perfect adhesion

In packaging development, transparent film labels with a “no label” look are becoming more and more important. They not only have to be crystal clear, but also have to withstand extreme stressing throughout the branded product’s useful life. Particularly on squeezable containers such as those used for shower gel, shampoo, dishwashing detergent and styling products, the made-to-measure brand label has to sit tight to the last drop. New Technomelt PS 8707 has all the credentials – even for the most difficult surfaces like freshly blown PE and PP bottles.

Optimal cutting and dispensing behavior

Technomelt PS 8707 also sets high standards in terms of processing. The hotmelt allows easy die cutting, doesn’t bleed at the edges even at high ambient temperatures, and dispenses well even on difficult surfaces and at high speeds. Moreover, for a limited period Technomelt PS 8707 can be removed without a trace from conventional substrates – PP and PE, for example. Technomelt PS 8707’s high dimensional stability even permits the labeling of hot-filled oil canisters. This is because the adhesive is capable of expanding with the container and shrinking again upon cooling without leaving residues.

Better moisture resistance for long-term stressing in the shower

Warm, humid air is the natural enemy of adhesives. This combined with repeated manual stressing and the washing-active substances contained in body care and cleaning products puts pressure-sensitive labels to a severe test. And when the final drop of shampoo is squeezed out of the bottle in the shower, the label still has to sit tight. With Technomelt PS 8707, this is not a problem. Its outstanding dimensional stability together with its powerful adhesion even on non-polar surfaces ensures that the label material shows no signs of detachment at the edges or even of tunneling. Technomelt PS 8707 thus offers clear advantages over conventionally used acrylate-based dispersion adhesives.

Advantages over acrylate dispersions

Extensive series of tests conducted in cooperation with a leading manufacturer of labeling materials for “no label” look applications confirm Technomelt PS 8707’s claim to leadership when it comes to adhesives for squeezable facestocks. Whereas conventional acrylate adhesives on PE or PP films show detachment at the corners after 30 to 50 squeezes even in dry conditions, Technomelt PS 8707 still holds firm even after more than twice the stressing. This clearly shows the advantages of the new hotmelt over conventional pressure-sensitive dispersion adhesives. Under continuous stressing in damp environments, the latter may absorb water more readily and are thus prone to detachment at the edges and to tunneling.

Multi-talent for label printers with inline coating

For the growing number of label printers with in-house pressure-sensitive hotmelt coating, there are huge benefits as well. This is because Technomelt PS 8707 is attractive for many other applications above and beyond products for the body care industry. It covers a large part of the applications spectrum for pressure-sensitive labeling, ranging from labels for oil canisters and laser-printable forms to the “no label” look in the beverage industry. The advantages are obvious: Reduced complexity in stock keeping and the avoidance of frequent changes of adhesive involving time-consuming set-up operations.

Premium service for top quality labels

For the production of premium labels, Henkel covers the entire spectrum of advanced adhesives and coating technologies. Its premium claim also extends to product development and technical consulting for customers. In addition to its own inhouse experience in the personal and home care businesses, it engages in constant, fruitful

cooperation with leading substrate, release liner and machine and application equipment manufacturers. Its applications technology and technical service meet exceptionally high standards of quality. Henkel has a high-performance coater for classical and UV-curing hotmelts which it uses for industry-standard testing of customer-specific new developments and production of samples – a clear advantage for the trouble-free product launch of a new premium laminate.