Compania Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, care anul acesta se mandreste cu nu mai putin de 148 de ani de activitate, a inceput cu productia de detergenti. La un moment dat, fondatorul Fritz Henkel a identificat un fel de criza, observand ca daca intentiona sa-si vanda detergentii, ceea ce ii lipsea erau ambalajul si adezivii. Ca urmare, a inceput sa-si dezvolte propriii adezivi. De la infiintarea sa din 1876, compania s-a dezvoltat constant, iar in prezent are peste 53.000 de angajati care activeaza in unitati de productie si centre de cercetare si dezvoltare din intreaga lume.
Dl Tobias Laxa, Expert in Comunicare
pe Probleme de Marketing si Sustenabilitate
In prezent, compania Henkel este impartita in doua mari divizii: articole de larg consum (produse de ingrijire a parului, detergenti si balsamuri de rufe etc.), precum si adezivi, substante de etansare si acoperiri functionale, respectiv produse pentru industria auto – mai ales solutii pentru baterii. In sectorul de adezivi, compania fabrica si numeroase produse pentru industria lemnului, nu doar pentru piese de mobilier ci si pentru articole din lemn in general. Totodata, Henkel produce solutii de tratare a suprafetelor (de exemplu pentru industria de doze pentru bauturi), dar si pentru constructii si mentenanta.
In sectorul de packaging, compania germana ofera adezivi pentru realizarea pungilor, fermoare pentru pungile de tip zipper, inchizatorile propriu-zise, acoperiri functionale, adezivi sensibili la presiune, precum si benzi de silicon care ofera masuri de protectie impotriva accesului nedorit in interiorul ambalajelor. De asemenea, compania produce adezivi si acoperiri speciale care asigura rezistenta la impact.
Cu o asemenea varietate de produse, Henkel vine in ajutorul producatorilor si convertorilor de ambalaje, dar si a retailerilor online si centrelor de prelucrare a comenzilor. Pentru acestea din urma, compania germana ofera solutii de topire la cald si termosigilare pentru procesul automatizat de ambalare in comertul electronic, lucru care eficientizeaza prelucrarea comenzilor in centrele de livrare, contribuie la detectarea manipularii sau deschiderii ilegale a ambalajului prin ruperea fibrelor cu inalta densitate, asigura o deschidere si reinchidere usoara a ambalajului si nu in ultimul rand garanteaza protectia impotriva deteriorarii ambalajului in ultima etapa de livrare prin rezistenta la impact si functionalitate de bariera.
Din aceasta categorie se evidentiaza EPIX, un material brevetat recent de Henkel, care este un adeziv special care ofera amortizare, dar si rezistenta termica pentru manipularea si transportarea bunurilor de larg consum sensibile la temperatura, cum ar fi alimentele. Adezivul este usor, ofera protectie impotriva accesului nedorit in interiorul ambalajului, precum si rezistenta la impact. Insa compania ofera si acoperiri ce pot fi aplicate oferind ambalajului protectie impotriva umezelii, grasimilor si uleiului, iar pentru comertul electronic, impotriva apei. Materialul este compus doar din doua straturi de hartie si fara plastic, in vreme ce materialul traditional este complet din plastic. Alaturi de EPIX, compania a mai brevetat si alte doua solutii similare, TECHNOMELT PS si TECHNOPMELT E-COM.
Totodata, Henkel livreaza trei versiuni diferite de folii pentru laminare: la cald, la rece si cu bariera. In trecut, aceste folii erau in cea mai mare parte compuse din trei straturi; insa pentru o sustenabilitate crescuta, in colaborare cu parteneri cum ar fi Mondi sau Siegwerk, Henkel a trecut la mono-materiale, reducand astfel numarul de straturi la maximum doua.
Preocuparile Henkel pe linia sustenabilitatii au devenit definitorii pentru firma germana in ultimul timp. De exemplu, avand in vedere noile reguli si reglementari implementate de UE cum ar fi Pactul Verde al Uniunii Europene, precum si PPWR (Regulamentul privind Gestionarea Ambalajelor si Deseurilor de Ambalaje), Henkel considera ca trebuie gasite solutii pentru alinierea cu aceste acte normative. In aceasta directie, un concept pe care Henkel il va dezvolta foarte curand este „designul pentru sustenabilitate”. Acest lucru inseamna ca, pe baza expertizei pe care o detine in industria de packaging, compania ii va ajuta pe clienti sa isi dezvolte si chiar sa isi reproiecteze ambalajele. Si asta pentru ca studii recente au aratat ca amprenta de carbon si rata de reciclare sunt stabilite inca din faza de proiectare. Iar cu know-how-ul si experienta pe care le detine – si avand in vedere si independenta pe care o are la capitolul materiale – Henkel poate oferi solutii nu doar pentru hartie ci si pentru aluminiu, lemn si materiale plastice.
In general, cand vine vorba de sustenabilitate, exista patru piloni: circularitate, clima, sanatate/siguranta si natura, iar pe baza lor, Henkel a lansat o noua deviza: „Respect – Rethink – Reinvent”. Pentru a implementa practic aceste concepte, Henkel a dezvoltat recent un asa-numit „agent de curatare la temperaturi scazute” pentru cutiile de bere produse de Metro Packaging Company. Mai exact, in procesul de fabricatie a acestor doze, sunt utilizate numeroase uleiuri, dozele necesitand o curatare ulterioara. In fabricarea agentului de curatare, in trecut Henkel folosea substante chimice concentrate ce trebuiau aplicate la temperaturi de 60°C. Recent insa, compania a schimbat semnificativ formula, reducand aciditatea si diminuand temperatura de la 60°C la aproximativ 40-45°C, ceea ce a dus la scaderea emisiilor de CO2.
Pentru Henkel, cel mai important lucru este ca exista doar o singura planeta; si in vreme ce oamenii sunt aici pentru a face afaceri, este esential ca ei sa mentina aceasta planeta asa cum au primit-o. In acest sens, Henkel are deja numeroase solutii sustenabile astazi iar in viitor va construi solutii chiar mai sustenabile.
In Romania, produsele Henkel sunt comercializate prin mai multe companii, printre care Grup Tico Romania S.R.L.
Cei interesati pot contacta Henkel Romania S.R.L. prin: tel.: 021-203 2600, 0753-318 937; email: henkel.ro@henkel.com, www.henkel.ro.
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, which this year boasts no less than 148 years of activity, started with the production of detergents. At one point, founder Fritz Henkel identified a sort of crisis, noting that if he intended to sell his detergents, what he lacked were packaging and adhesives. As a result, he began developing his own adhesives. Since its establishment in 1876, the company has grown steadily, and currently has over 53,000 employees working in both production facilities and R&D centers around the world.
Mr. Tobias Laxa, Expert in Communication
on Marketing and Sustainability Issues
Currently, the Henkel company is divided into two large divisions: consumer goods (hair care products, detergents and fabric conditioners, etc.), as well as adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, respectively products for the automotive industry – especially solutions for batteries. In the adhesive sector, the company also manufactures numerous products for the wood industry, not only for furniture, but also for wooden articles in general. At the same time, Henkel produces surface treatment solutions (for example for the beverage can industry), but also for construction and maintenance.
In the packaging sector, the German company offers adhesives for making bags, zippers for zipper bags, closures per-se, functional coatings, pressure-sensitive adhesives, as well as silicone tapes providing protection against unwanted access inside the packaging. The company also produces adhesives and special coatings that provide impact resistance.
With such a variety of products, Henkel helps packaging manufacturers and converters, as well as online retailers and fulfillment centers. For the latter, the German company offers hot-melt and heat-sealing solutions for the automated packaging process in e-commerce, which streamlines order processing in the fulfillment centers, contributes to the detection of illegal handling or opening of packaging by breaking high-density fibers, it ensures an easy opening and reclosing of the packaging and, last but not least, it guarantees last mile packaging damage protection through impact resistance and barrier functionality.
In this category stands out EPIX, a material recently patented by Henkel, which is a special adhesive providing cushioning as well as thermal resistance for handling and transporting temperature-sensitive consumer goods such as food. The adhesive is light, offers protection against unwanted access inside the package, as well as impact resistance. But the company also offers coatings that can be applied and that offer the packaging protection against moisture, grease and oil, and for e-commerce, against water. The material is composed of only two layers of paper and is free of plastic, while the traditional material is completely plastic. Along with EPIX, the company also patented two other similar solutions, TECHNOMELT PS and TECHNOPMELT E-COM.
At the same time, Henkel supplies three different versions of foils for lamination: hot, cold and barrier. In the past, these foils were mostly composed of three layers; but for increased sustainability, in collaboration with partners such as Mondi or Siegwerk, Henkel switched to mono-materials, thus reducing the number of layers to a maximum of two.
Henkel’s sustainability concerns have become defining for the German company lately. For example, considering the new rules and regulations implemented by the EU such as the EU Green Deal, as well as the PPWR (Regulation on the Management of Packaging and Packaging Waste), Henkel believes that solutions must be found to align with these normative acts. In this direction, a concept that Henkel will develop very soon is “design for sustainability”. This means that, based on its expertise in the packaging industry, the company will help customers develop and even redesign their packaging. And that’s because recent studies have shown that the carbon footprint and recycling rate are already established beginning from the design phase. And with the know-how and experience it possesses – and considering the fact it is material independent – Henkel can offer solutions not only for paper, but also for aluminum, wood and plastic materials.
In general, when it comes to sustainability, there are four pillars: circularity, climate, health/safety and nature, and based on them, Henkel coined a new slogan: “Respect – Rethink – Reinvent”. In order to practically implement these concepts, Henkel recently developed a so-called “cleaning agent at low temperatures” for the beer cans produced by the Metro Packaging Company. To be more accurate, in the manufacturing process of these cans, many oils are used; so the cans require further cleaning. In the manufacture of the cleaning agent, in the past Henkel used high chemicals that had to be applied at temperatures of 60°C. Recently, however, the company significantly changed the formula, reducing the acidity and lowering the temperature from 60°C to approximately 40-45°C, which led to lower CO2 emissions.
For Henkel, the most important thing is that there is only one planet; and while humans are here to do business, it is essential that they maintain this planet as they received it. In this sense, Henkel already has many sustainable solutions today; and in the future it will build even more sustainable solutions.
In Romania, Henkel products are marketed through several companies, including Grup Tico Romania S.R.L.
Those interested can contact Henkel Romania S.R.L. by: tel.: 021-203 2600, 0753-318 937; email: henkel.ro@henkel.com, www.henkel.ro.
