Adhesives Mag logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Adhesives Mag logo
  • NEW PRODUCTS
  • NEWS
    • Adhesives & Sealants Headlines
    • Mergers/Acquisitions
    • Events Calendar
    • Market Trends
  • TOPICS
    • Finished Adhesives and Sealants
    • Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives (PSAs)
    • Coatings
    • Raw Materials and Chemicals
    • Materials Handling/Processing
    • Meter/Mix/Dispense
    • Curing
    • Testing/Quality Control
    • Packaging of Adhesives & Sealants
    • Converting/Packaging
    • Composites
    • Sustainability
  • COLUMNS
    • European Perspectives
    • Strategic Solutions
    • Supply Chain Strategies
    • Tape Talk
  • TOP 20
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • eBooks
  • EXPLORE
    • Adhesives in Action
    • Blog
    • ASI Store
    • Industry Links
    • Market Research
    • Classifieds
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Buyers' Guide
    • Global Adhesives & Sealants Directory
    • Raw Materials, Chemicals, Polymers and Additives Handbook
    • Equipment Handbook
    • Distributor Directory
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • ADVERTISE
      • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • CONTACT
  • SIGN UP!
NewsAdhesives and Sealants TopicsAdhesives & Sealants HeadlinesFinished Adhesives and Sealants

IKEA Buys Stake in Startup Developing Plastic Waste-Derived Adhesives

image of handshake
June 29, 2023

Inter IKEA has signed a development and access agreement with Auckland, New Zealand-based NILO, a deep-tech startup company that has developed and patented a plastic waste-derived adhesive for use in the production of wood-based boards. The investment aligns with the company’s sustainability commitments, which includes switching from fossil-based to bio-based glues for board production. 

As part of this agreement, Inter IKEA Development B.V. has acquired a 12.5% stake in NILO and Andrew McIntosh, innovation partnership leader at IKEA Innovation Ventures, has joined NILO’s board of directors.

“IKEA is committed to our strategy of being People and Planet Positive. The investment in NILO shows our commitment to working with innovative startups that can support and help accelerate the IKEA material innovation agenda. NILO’s approach to the creation of this adhesive shows real potential, and we are hopeful the collaboration will be mutually beneficial” said McIntosh. “The performance and physical qualities show promise and we want to support NILO and help develop the adhesive with a mutual ambition to get it into scaled trials. From our position as a shareholder we can support the path forward and look forward to working closely with the management and board of NILO.”

The world faces a non-degradable plastic waste challenge, as 350 million tons of plastic waste are generated every year. Only 9% of plastic is recycled, leaving the rest in landfills, incinerators, and waterways. NILO’s team of chemists and engineers have created technology that repurposes this plastic waste.

The result is a non-toxic adhesive that both addresses the plastic recycling challenge and can replace one of the world’s most prevalent adhesives, urea formaldehyde. While urea formaldehyde is a highly effective and durable material with a long history in the wood-based board industry, it has a high carbon footprint and a few more crucial flaws. There is currently no scalable alternative underlying the significance of the issue.

“This is a fabulous moment for NILO,” said Glen Willoughby, NILO’s CEO. “Our team has worked tirelessly on this, and to have our technology recognized by one of the world’s leading firms with deep expertise in the wood-based board market provides huge validation of what NILO has created. The knowledge and expertise Inter IKEA will bring will help NILO progress our technology immensely.”

Willoughby said NILO’s vision extends beyond urea formaldehyde to utilize the enormous volumes of plastic waste of grades and types currently not readily recycled to create a range of adhesives for use in different industrial applications. NILO is committed to ensuring that the performance and pricing of these adhesives are comparable to existing market alternatives so that they can readily be adapted into the value chain. Additionally, the end-of-life products created with NILO adhesives will also be able to be reprocessed into new products, an essential for the circular economy.

Learn more at www.nilo.world. 


KEYWORDS: adhesives in woodworking plastic recycling/recyclability

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • mouse in hole

    Using Foam Sealants for Pest Prevention

    According to the National Pest Management Association,...
    Finished Adhesives and Sealants
    By: Kevin Corcoran
  • linked network nodes

    Using the Power of AI for Adhesive and Sealant Formulation

    With the help of software solutions, adhesive formulators...
    Raw Materials and Chemicals
    By: Karen Parker
  • top20-hero.jpg

    2024 ASI Top 20: Leading Global Manufacturers of Adhesives and Sealants

    ASI's annual ranking of the top 20 global adhesive and...
    Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives (PSAs)
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Issues
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

Picture of white beads of hot-melt adhesives

Henkel and Synthomer Work to Cut Carbon Emissions in Adhesives

news on internet screen

H.B. Fuller Names 2025 Customer Innovation Awards Winners

Image of a green plant

BioBond Licenses Technology Developed at Purdue to Create Biodegradable Packaging Adhesives

ASI Top 20 website

Events

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Structural Adhesives: Properties, Characterization and Applications

Structural Adhesives: Properties, Characterization and Applications

See More Products

ASI CASE EBOOK

Related Articles

  • audience clapping

    Glue Derived From Industrial Bio-Waste Wins Material Science Prize

    See More
  • Image of hands holding green globe

    Dow Signs Supply Agreement to Transform Plastic Waste into Circular Products

    See More
  • aerial shot of footpath through dense forest

    Challenges in Developing Sustainable Packaging Solutions for Adhesives

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 4.png

    Progress in Adhesion and Adhesives, Volume 7

  • biomedical.jpg

    Adhesion in Pharmaceutical, Biomedical, and Dental Fields

  • 9781574447170.jpg

    Sealants in Construction, Second Edition

See More Products
×

Keep the info flowing with our eNewsletters!

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey & Sample
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Youtube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing