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The sustainability trend in the packaging market has long since spread to the bonding sector. In addition to its low-temperature hotmelt adhesives, adhesives specialist Bühnen recently added a bio-based adhesive series to its product range and is now the first company to offer refurbished applicators that not only score points in terms of price, but also save resources.
With the bio-based hotmelt adhesive avenia B3771, the Bremen-based family business Stages launched its new nature adhesive series. The white, low-odour adhesive with a biogenic carbon content of 41 percent is particularly suitable for bonding on high-speed machines. It was developed especially for the Developed for bonding paper, cardboard and coated cardboard. The raw materials used also comply with the FDA guidelines for the outer packaging of foodstuffs. „As we wanted to provide evidence of the environmentally friendly properties of our new product, we had the adhesive series certified to DIN ISO 16620-2:2019 and tested by external laboratories. In doing so, we also want to make it clear that we are not greenwashing,“ explains Katrin Zunder, Product Manager Hotmelt Adhesives at Bühnen.
The hot-melt adhesive with bio-based components has also been given optimised properties. For example, it is is not manufactured on the basis of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), but is polyolefin (PO)-based. Compared to conventional EVA hotmelts, it therefore offers a wider performance spectrum overall. „Such PO-based bio-hotmelts are not yet very common on the market,“ says Katrin Zunder. „However, our customers are increasingly asking for environmentally friendly solutions and there is already great interest in our nature series.“
Green counterparts as an alternative
The bio-based hotmelt adhesives can be used in the application devices of platforms without any problems. „They can be Simply replace with conventional hotmelts, because the technical properties are almost identical“, explains the product manager. Managing Partner Jan Hunke adds: „Conventional hot melt adhesives are only green to a limited extent, of course, because they are produced on the basis of petroleum-dependent raw materials. For years, we have been considering developing ‚green‘ adhesives and using natural ingredients such as starch in them. Ultimately, these attempts were not particularly successful. That is why we have now come up with the ‚nature‘ range. We have succeeded in creating a genuine bio-based alternative that can also compete with conventional products in terms of price. can.“ The environmentally friendly adhesive solutions are particularly in demand from large customers.
„But small and medium-sized companies are also approaching us, because everyone wants to be greener today. This applies not only to hot melt adhesives, but of course also to equipment technology, which is becoming more energy-efficient thanks to better encapsulation, for example. Ultimately, however, sustainability is always about avoidance, i.e. achieving a good result with as little adhesive as possible. We are often on site with our customers to show them how this can work. Our long-term goal is to offer a green alternative for each of our top 20 products that has the same properties. Then customers will have a choice.“
Jan Hunke
Second life for customised devices
Bühnen wanted to go one step further in terms of sustainability and recently launched „Refurbished by Bühnen“ a new service developed. Used appliances that have found their way back to the company for various reasons are refurbished, cleaned and checked by our in-house service team. In this way Returns, demonstration models with a short operating time or loan devices a second life with a functional guarantee. The refurbished appliances are attractively priced for customers and also score points in terms of climate and environmental protection, as they save valuable resources because fewer spare parts need to be used.
„Previously, we only sold new appliances. Then we came up with the refurbished idea, especially as we have our own in-house service team that can repair appliances. Our refurbished shop has been online since the beginning of May and the refurbished melters have been very well received. With this new service, we are the first to use refurbished appliances in industrial technology. No-one has actually dared to take this step before. However, a rethink is taking place in the packaging industry and our new service fits in well with this.“
Heike Lau, Team Leader Marketing
Bühnen has repeatedly adapted to changes in the market environment over the course of its 100-year company history. Founded in 1922 as a small craft business in Bremen, the company grew from a pure mechanical engineering company initially specialised in nail and staple technology. In the mid-1970s, the area of bonding with hot-melt adhesives was added. and the appropriate application devices were also developed. At the beginning of the 2000s, this business segment became the company's exclusive core business. Jan Hunke: „Bühnen is still a family business, now in its third and fourth generation, and will remain so. This allows us to plan for the long term and be sustainable in our customer and supplier relationships. This is what characterises us and sets us apart from others.“
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