Nordson and Henkel roll out hot melt packaging solution

By Joseph James Whitworth

- Last updated on GMT

The complete Nordson Freedom system
The complete Nordson Freedom system

Related tags Hot melt Liquid Henkel

Nordson Corporation and Henkel have unveiled hot melt dispensing equipment after extensive consultation to address industry issues such as packaging costs, complexity and operating costs.

The Freedom Integrated Hot Melt Packaging Solution combines Nordson's tankless Freedom Series hot melt dispensing equipment with Henkel's Technomelt Freedom-certified, family of adhesives.

It adds to the firms’ portfolio of hot melt systems that serve the end-of-line packaging machinery market for paperboard materials.

The Nordson Freedom system incorporates a bulk storage container which feeds solid hot melt adhesive pellets to the tankless melter automatically in proportion to the melt rate required to satisfy the packaging line speed.

Polymer supply

Technomelt Freedom-certified, adhesives use readily available polymers that are less affected by petrochemical feed stock demands and shortages than traditional packaging EVA adhesives, claims Nordson.

Freedom-Certified adhesives are less affected by raw material supply issues because they are less dependent on the critical petrochemical feedstocks that used to make hot melt and are currently constrained in the market place​,” said John Schnarr, director of strategic marketing at Nordson.

“Innovative new polymer platforms are being utilized and the result is higher application performance and enhanced machinability,” ​he added.

We have spent the last few years completing extensive voice of customer and market research on a global basis and the resounding issues that are creating concerns for our packaging customers include adhesive raw material prices and availability, operating cost containment, market uncertainties, competition and rising costs of goods sold.”

Customer freedoms

The Freedom solution muted by Nordson and Henkel claims to address customer needs in the form of six freedoms, including the below.

Tankless melting prevents the adhesive degradation and char that can occur in conventional melter tanks due to “overcooked” hot melt while the temperature stability of Freedom-certified adhesives reduces char potential which minimizes clogged filters, applicators and nozzles, preventing production downtime.

The integrated automatic fill system supplies room-temperature adhesive to the melter, minimizing operator involvement and labor costs while preventing missed adhesive beads from dry melter tanks.

Unlike traditional cube-shaped melters, the Freedom version saves space using a vertical footprint that also allows it to be mounted almost anywhere within parent machinery.

Improved adhesive density reduces adhesive consumption while intermittent bead dispensing capability enables up to 50% less adhesive use and waste associated with manual spilling and overfilling is also minimized.

Reduce costs and complexity

The adhesive applicator’s high speed capability maximizes production efficiency at most line speeds and assures adhesive are placed onto the paperboard box in the right location, said Schnarr.

Customers employing the system typically recover equipment cost in less than 12 months, and have continued cost savings over the life of the system, said Nordson.

Schnarr added that the Freedom system solution has been the primary focus of the alliance with Henkel announced at PackExpo last year but the variety of end market applications served by the two firms meant there are many potential opportunities.  

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