Consistently more reliable

Press reports Self-adhesive Materials

24. August 2010

HERMA reasserts role as industry-leading adhesive material innovator / Benefits include enhanced product reliability for critical applications / Curtain coating a key factor / Lead built on more than 10 years' expertise in curtain coating

With immediate effect, HERMA is guaranteeing the exceptional uniformity of its adhesive coatings. Label manufacturers and users are thus being offered significantly enhanced product reliability. The self-adhesive solutions specialist is the first company in the global industry to halve the customary tolerances for standard adhesive coatings – from ± 3 grams to just ± 1.5 grams – without modifying the effective amount of adhesive applied.

Two or three grams too little adhesive can have unpleasant consequences in the case of critical applications in particular. Labels applied to difficult, rough surfaces, for example, can fall off in some circumstances. If two to three grams too much adhesive is applied, on the other hand, punching and dispensing difficulties can arise. Adhesive can escape and contaminate the tools or trigger unscheduled stops in the labelling systems. A consistent adhesive coating benefits print reliability as well. A lack of consistency can be detrimental to print quality. The label motifs used in advertising are becoming increasingly sophisticated, moreover, so that a uniform surface, without any fluctuation in the thickness of the adhesive layer, is essential for high-quality printing.

Cross-sectional variation no longer discernible
The key to reducing tolerances by 50 percent lies in the use of curtain coating technology. As managing director Dr. Thomas Baumgärtner explains, "It enables us to apply extremely consistent coats. A discernible transverse section, consisting of peaks and valleys of adhesive, no longer exists." Besides the curtain coating process itself, he believes that the company's more than 10 years of experience with the technology is equally important. HERMA has been a pioneer of curtain coating in the adhesives industry. In 1999, it became the first company to apply an uninterrupted curtain of adhesive that falls onto the substrate. Dr. Baumgärtner continues, "We reinforced our role as the technology leader when we commissioned the new coating plant at the start of 2008 and became the first company to apply two layers of adhesive at the same time." Following successful trials with the reduced tolerances in the new plant, HERMA has modified its older coating plant as well. "We can now run the lower tolerances in both plants, which maximises our production flexibility and not only improves product reliability for our customers, but also ensures very short delivery times," comments Dr. Baumgärtner.