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psa-adhesive-technology

PSA adhesive technology. A fair advantage?

Posted 10/12/2017 by Melanie Lack, Business Development Manager, Tapes and Labels

The organizers of September’s Labelexpo Europe 2017 asked us all a very important question: if you could improve your business with technology that no else has, wouldn’t you?

Labelexpo’s theme of ‘gaining an unfair advantage’ was at the heart of our conversations with customers visiting the H.B. Fuller stand. We heard much about the trends and challenges label manufacturers are experiencing, and how our adhesive technology is helping customers respond, by giving them continuous competitive edge.

So why not take advantage of the latest clever technology? If it makes your brand stand out and your products perform and, most importantly, if it supports your business and sustainability objectives, what’s unfair about that?

Let’s take a look at some of the main issues and solutions discussed in relation to food, beverage and healthcare product labelling, and understand why pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) have become so important in this context.

Adhesive expertise makes all the difference

You can come up with the most imaginative of ideas for product labels, but without expert adhesive support your scope for successfully applying them will be limited. To make sure your labelling works, in every way and at every stage of its journey with the product, you need to be talking to an adhesive partner, right from the design stage.

Recent trends in substrates and designs have created a demand for greater choice in adhesives to meet different performance needs. New solutions derive largely from the properties and versatility of PSAs – which is why the global PSA market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2016 to 2023, and reach $13.63 billion by 2023.

We can help you gain full benefit from the latest substrates with PSAs, and make your manufacturing and labelling application processes easy and cost-efficient. Our adhesives can keep the label firmly and attractively attached and, if you need it, enable simple wash-off for recycling.

The varying characteristics of our diverse PSA portfolio can be tailored to the precise needs of each container and make all the difference, using water-based, hot melt, solvent acrylic or rubber compounded formulations. Not sure what’s the best technology for your application? Relax – our experts can help you identify the right adhesive to differentiate your product.

Backed up by in-house polymerization and coating capabilities, our scientists can customize solutions for an enhanced performance in your specific application. You’ll truly get something your competitors don’t have, which makes all the difference to the success of your business.

Looking and performing well on every level

Many of the key trends discussed with us at Labelexpo centered on consumer behavior. We face a rapidly changing world, with expectations of enhanced lifestyles rising dramatically across the globe. These are big drivers of change in labelling design.

When it comes to appearance, transparent labelling is clearly gaining in popularity. Fulltak™ SE 7577, applied to ultra-clear filmic label stock, ensures the visual impact of the no-look label design is maximized.

A beverage bottle label may communicate your brand powerfully when first applied, but how well will it survive transportation and storage? For confidence all the way, Fulltak™ SE 8301 has been formulated to resist peeling and other damage even when bottles are chilled in ice water. Should you wish to recycle the bottle, the label can be simply removed through the standard, 70°C alkali bottle wash process.

And if you need to tailor design to different purposes, we can offer the adaptability in the printing process offered by our adhesives for variable information print (VIP) labels, which include the added benefit of not needing to handle the adhesive materials on the manufacturer’s production site. This means a major safety concern is taken out of the way, particularly in the food, beverages and healthcare industries.

Containers are also being reshaped to suit today’s fast-paced and independent lifestyles, so labelling must adapt accordingly. Small, ready-to-go meals in convenience packaging, for example, save time and effort, while addressing sustainability concerns by using optimized portions and resealable packages that reduce waste. Lunamelt™ PHC 7194 ZP is a PSA specially formulated for peel and reseal labels, allowing the option of keeping food fresh while extending its period of consumption.

Each of these PSA solutions, and many more, will give you a head start on your rivals, enabling you to deliver customer satisfaction and stay ahead of the competition.

When you weigh up all that PSA adhesive technology has to offer, choosing this approach is just a natural way of gaining a fair advantage. Contact us today and learn how we can help you make the right adhesive choice!

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