Growing awareness of the potential risks of mineral-oil hydrocarbons in food contact applications is attracting increased attention from consumers and legislators alike. This is making alternative solutions highly attractive as a way to proactively address these risks – and to anticipate future laws.

At Labelexpo Europe, Henkel presented its latest innovations in mineral-oil free hotmelt PSAs. Created for the label market, Technomelt PS 3500 is a breakthrough hotmelt PSA that uses increased bio-content for a MOSH & MOAH-safe formulation that delivers robust adhesion on many substrates.

Making labels easier to remove is recognised as a key factor in increasing the recyclability of plastic beverage and household product bottles. Henkel is leading the way in sustainable label applications, with a range of products that enable efficient alkali-wash-off label removal that helps to increase the purity and value of recyclates. At Labelexpo, Henkel presented water-based adhesives suitable for different substrates that include water-based acrylics from the Aquence PS RE range for PET bottles, which offer hazard-free handling and storage. 

Henkel’s latest generation of water-based acrylics for wash-off labels Aquence PS 3017 RE has been recently successfully qualified for brands from Henkel Consumer business.

As well as all-new innovations, Henkel’s Labelexpo Europe stand provided a comprehensive showcase of the breadth of its comprehensive range of pressure sensitive adhesives for labels. This included sustainable, water-based solutions for labels from the aquence PS adhesive range that are tailored to address a wide spectrum of applications and substrates. 

Also on show was Henkel’s Locitite Duro-Tak range of Henkel Pressure Sensitive Adhesives, an innovative and dynamic UV portfolio offering a wide range of performance attributes designed to meet a variety of manufacturing challenges. The Duro-Tak portfolio includes printable UV acrylic solutions including a removable adhesive, Loctite Duro-Tak UV 4903, and UV 4909 for permanent applications. These highly efficient solutions allow for application using standard printing equipment and rapid UV curing.