May 2021

We dig into many aspects of packaging adhesives in this issue, including sustainable options. Be sure to also check out articles on converting, UV LED curing, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and more!

Sustainable Packaging: An Opportunity to Stay Competitive in a Post-COVID World

A recent survey explores the trend toward sustainable packaging and possible ramifications for decision makers in the packaging sector.

Steve Molinets

April 27, 2021

Looking ahead, sustainable packaging represents an important opportunity for the print and paper industry. This comes as consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies increasingly seek to make their products more sustainable, along with the packaging they use.

Better Bonding: Simplifying Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Selection

Taking a systematic approach and using selection tools available from adhesive manufacturers can streamline the pressure-sensitive adhesive selection process and help ensure strong bonding in each application.

Kyle Witham

May 10, 2021

The ideal pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) delivers exactly the right amount of bonding at the lowest cost. Choosing the right adhesive hasn’t always been easy, however. We have all heard stories about adhesives failing prematurely, as well as how costly those failures can be to product manufacturers.

Developing Sustainable Packaging Solutions

Recycling and recyclability are key factors that sustainable packaging producer EcoEnclose considers when developing ecommerce packaging solutions.

Susan Sutton

May 14, 2021

Many industries have struggled due to the impact of COVID-19, but ecommerce certainly isn’t one of them. eMarketer reports that retail ecommerce sales alone grew 27.6% globally in 2020, to reach nearly $4.3 trillion.

Modernizing Assembly Lines with UV LED Curing

Adhesive bonding, sealing, and coating processes in factory assembly lines are rapidly upgrading to UV LED curing technology.

Jake Chaney Stacy Hoge

May 12, 2021

Ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode (LED) curing technology offers significant advantages compared to traditional mercury UV curing. As a result, adhesive bonding, sealing, and coating processes in factory assembly lines are rapidly upgrading to UV LED curing technology.

Advancing Adhesives

Advancing Silicone-Based Medical Adhesives

A new adhesive for wearable medical devices enhances patient comfort while providing engineers confidence about wear duration.

May 3, 2021

Acrylate and silicone have dominated the medical adhesives market for years. However, the adhesives currently available often require device engineers to choose between strength and wear duration, or comfort and pliability.

How Does Mineral Selection Impact Water-Based Adhesives?

The selection and control of the physical properties of minerals are critical in improving an adhesive’s performance.

Shamila Grigorieff Erik van Dijnen Jane Trewolla

May 7, 2021

Water-based adhesives for paper lamination are typically formulated with different types of binders, including: natural polymers (e.g., dextrins and starches), inorganic “polymers” (e.g., sodium silicates), and oil derivative-based polymers (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate).

Case Study

Successfully Navigating a Food and Beverage Packaging Change

How did a national baby-food manufacturer determine the best adhesive solution for an updated label design?

Pete Turner

Nick Vogt

May 5, 2021

Operating in the food and beverage industry requires careful considerations for packaging—from food safety to aesthetics.

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Lean Manufacturing: Minimizing Converting Costs with Moisture and Coat Weight Control

Converting process efficiency is often affected by variations in coat weight, inefficient moisture control, and thickness and/or temperature issues.

Sarah Hammond

April 30, 2021

Producers focus on minimizing waste, reducing costs, increasing product quality, and maximizing plant efficiency. Wasted efforts are certainly a drain on resources, in addition to wasted product, creating the need to evaluate and implement lean manufacturing principles.

Strategic Solutions

COVID-19 Impact on Global Shipping and Packaging Dynamics

The continued transition away from brick-and-mortar to ecommerce brings demand for packaging innovations that enable faster delivery and better content protection from shock or temperature variations.

Michael Rezai

May 19, 2021

The shift from brick-and-mortar to digital shopping had been under way for some time when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Since 2017, ecommerce revenues have risen from an estimated $1.4 trillion to $2.4 trillion, or about 2.7% of global output.

From the Editor

Adhesives and Sealants Help Brands Achieve the Complete Package

Brands are exploring sustainable packaging as a means of increasing their appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.

Susan Sutton

May 21, 2021

Brands have long relied on their products’ packaging to draw the consumers’ eye and entice them to consider a purchase. But packaging has evolved beyond eye-catching graphics to encompass so much more, particularly as consumers continue to explore “green” products and services with the goal of helping to address climate change.

Ask Dr. Dave

Packaging Moisture-Sensitive Sealants

Can you recommend suitable materials for packaging a sealant that is sensitive to atmospheric moisture? Additionally, we can do accelerated humidity testing of filled packages, but how do we correlate these with shelf life?

Dave Dunn Ph.D.

May 17, 2021

You can obviously package your moisture-sensitive sealant in glass or metal cans or tubes, which will totally prevent moisture ingress. Aluminum tubes are widely used for this type of product, as long as you have good crimps.

In this webinar, Raphael Schaller, CTO of Collano, shares how his team envisioned their data to make it usable for AI-driven materials discovery. He reflects on what he would do differently if starting over, and how adopting the Citrine Platform has accelerated learning, collaboration, and innovation across the organization.

Adhesives & Sealants Industry

Cover Story