Consumer goods giant Henkel has announced that its Adhesive Technologies division is celebrating its 100th year in business.
Commenting on the milestone, Mark Dorn, executive vice president of Henkel Adhesive Technologies said, "With our pioneering spirit and innovative strength, over the past 100 years we have become the world's largest manufacturer of functional adhesives, sealants and coatings, creating value for more than 100,000 industrial customers as well as millions of consumers.
"Our next step to create value in all industries around the world is to develop the necessary sustainable solutions that enable circularity and CO2 reduction."
Henkel Adhesive Technologies
In 1922, Henkel began to develop and produce adhesives for paper, cardboard and packaging, initially for its own use.
This followed the occupation of the Rhine and Ruhr after the end of the First World War, which threatened a shortage of adhesives at the company's headquarters in Düsseldorf.
Henkel constructed and operated its own adhesive factory and began selling adhesive products to neighbouring businesses in June 1923.
Its first products were Mala painters' glue and Tapa wallpaper paste – both developed from potato flour.
Since then, the division has offered several patented inventions and witnessed growth through innovation and a variety of strategic acquisitions.
One of its inventions include the Pritt-Stick glue format in 1969, which was inspired by the twist mechanism of lipstick.
In 2001, Pritt received the 'Space-Proof' quality seal and was sent to the International Space Station, Henkel added.
'Strong History Of Innovation'
Dorn added, "We are very proud of our 100-year success story at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. A look back over the last 100 years demonstrates the continuous development of our technological know-how and market expertise.
"With this strong history of innovation and remarkable achievements behind us, we look forward to a bright future as Adhesive Technologies continues to make history and creates the solutions of tomorrow."
In the industrial segment, Henkel's adhesive solutions offer tailored capabilities including bonding, sealing, coating, electrical and heat conductivity, and recyclability, among others.
These solutions have transformed production processes and product designs in automotive, electronics, packaging and other sectors.
The acquisition of Loctite Corporation in 1997 saw Henkel take its Adhesive Technologies business to a new level.
Notable use cases include the use of Ceresit products in the renovation of the Great Wall of China, in 1987, while in 2015, the company developed a custom adhesive to professionally re-glue the broken beard on Tutankhamun's famous death mask.
Focus On Sustainability
The division is currently focusing on offering sustainable solutions and is working on products that allow resource efficiency in production throughout their entire life cycle and are based on renewable or recycled raw materials.
In 2022, Adhesive Technologies opened an 'Inspiration Centre' at its headquarters in Düsseldorf.
It features more than 30 laboratories, with over 650 Henkel experts working on highly effective and sustainable solutions in functional adhesives, sealants and coatings.
The building also serves as a global customer service centre, where Adhesive Technologies presents its entire technology portfolio and strengthens collaboration with customers from more than 800 industry segments.
This year, the business unit plans to open another global innovation centre in Shanghai.
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Technology news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
