We recently spoke with Henkel Sustainability Business Development Manager – Nele Gering, about the importance of sustainability in packaging. Nele provided us with a great insight on Henkel’s sustainability development for packaging adhesives and gave us some fantastic info on their current initiatives:
How long have you been with Henkel and tell us about your current role?
“I joined Henkel in September 2013 and participated in a dual study program. After different roles in Marketing and Sustainability I started in January 2024 in my current role, working as a sustainability manager for Europe in the Consumer Goods Adhesive Team, serving customer in the FMCG industries, such as food & beverages, personal care & hygiene.
Sustainability grows in importance for our customers and the key element of my role is to partner closely with our customers, enabling them to achieve their sustainability targets with our broad offer of sustainable portfolio solutions and services.”
Why is sustainability important in packaging?
“Packaging is a very important element of the product as it protects the product and also serves as a source of information. At the same time packaging waste has increased tremendously and 180kg of packaging waste is produced by the average European each year, according to the EU parliament. Therefore it is important to find solutions that reduce material consumption and littering by finding alternatives like recyclable or reusable packaging.”
What is the most exciting development for packaging adhesives from a sustainability view?
“One of the most exciting developments is the switch from using fossil-based resources to using renewable raw materials. This reduces the dependence on fossil fuels and contributes to more sustainable packaging.
Additionally there are also more and more products that require lower application temperatures and therefore reducing energy consumption during the packing process as well as improving machine longevity and reducing spare part exchanges.”
Technomelt Supra ECO has been a huge success in providing a genuine option for end of line packaging hotmelt, do you think this is the direction the market is going?
“Biobased hot melt adhesives offer a promising solution for sustainable packaging, combining the advantages of hot melt technology with the environmental benefits of renewable resources. As technology and market demand continues to evolve, these adhesives are likely to play an increasingly important role in the push towards more sustainable packaging solutions.
In order to contribute to our customer´s sustainability target even more, I´m excited to share that we will present soon a new product which is an addition to our hotmelt portfolio for end-of-line packaging: The product is particularly suitable for sustainability-conscious companies as it can reduce CO2 emissions, improve process efficiency and is fully compatible with the paper recycling process.”
Henkel have always been leaders in sustainability, what is your favourite initiative currently?
“Henkel launched the “Climate Connect” initiative to collaborate with suppliers on climate action, advancing decarbonization along the value chain and as sustainability also encompasses a social aspect, it is also great to see that Henkel introduced fully paid gender-neutral parental leave for all colleagues worldwide.”
And finally, what is it you enjoy most of all about being part of the Henkel family?
“The colleagues and the international surrounding, making it a great place to work with a lot of opportunities for personal and professional development!”
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