High Value Adhesives for a Low Cost Process, 1997 Hot Melt Symposium Proceedings

Packaging opportunities for hot melts have grown rapidly since this technology’s introduction in the 1950’s. The current market is estimated at 300 million dollars, and one approach to capturing a stake in this market is the use of High Value Adhesives. These adhesives are differentiated from common technology as they incorporate unique polymers and use original formulations for the benefit of high temperature performance, improved sub-ambient adhesion, excellent thermal stability and low density. These High Value Adhesives are priced higher than the average hot melt formulations, but they yield a lower cost process for the packager. The High Value Adhesives not only outperform standard hot melt formulations but also discount taping as an alternative for packaging operations. While low speed production environments and packages with a fair amount of head space may be best suited for tape sealing, the High Value Adhesive approach reduces replacement parts, decreases production downtime, and addresses workplace safety while easily meeting the typical packaging end use requirements.