New hot-melt adhesive for agricultural packaging

The requirements for fruit and vegetable packaging, be it corrugated cardboard (such as UNIQ, P84 or other existing models), compact cardboard trays or even cellular polypropylene, are much more demanding than for other packaging. It contains a live produce and is subjected to refrigerated transport, sometimes in air or transoceanic trips lasting several weeks, with great temperature contrasts throughout the entire supply chain.

For the past decade, metallocene hot-melt adhesives have been widely used in industrial packaging applications, but they have not been as widely accepted in the fruit and vegetable sector, mainly because, despite its high price, it has not been possible to demonstrate a significantly superior performance to that of traditional EVA based adhesives.

After a joint study with different types of consumers (cardboard manufacturers, clothing stores, corporate assembly centres, independent assembly centres), it has been possible to identify the different variables that influence glueing in the different stations and a protocol for the use of adhesives has been defined, which will allow horticultural customers to also use metallocene technology in their cardboard packaging.

To this end, it has been necessary to develop a specific formulation, which had not yet been commercially launched.

The new product (SEMPACOL Innovation AGRI), presented worldwide at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2017 (Berlin, from 8 to 10 February), represents an advance, as it grants fruit and vegetable packers access to the highest quality to protect their investment in the product until it reaches the final consumer.

BADRINAS is the oldest producer of hot-melt adhesives in Spain and the leading company in this segment and is approved by all of the main cardboard manufacturers.