The importance of packaging adhesives in ensuring product integrity

Uroš Gradišek
Mitol
Published in
3 min readApr 17, 2023
The importance of packaging adhesives

Packaging plays a critical role in protecting products during shipping, storage, and handling. However, the quality of the packaging is only as good as the adhesive used to bond it together. In this article, we explore the importance of packaging adhesives in ensuring product integrity, and how choosing the right adhesive can make all the difference in safeguarding your products.

The quality of the packaging is only as good as the adhesive used to bond it together.

Importance of adhesive selection

Choosing the right adhesive is crucial for ensuring that the packaging stays intact and performs as intended. Here, we need to think about the factors that influence the adhesive selection, including the type of substrate being bonded, the environmental conditions the package will be exposed to, and the application method used.

Challenges and Solutions

Challenges and Solutions

Packaging adhesives can face a range of challenges that adhesive manufacturers need to overcome:

  • Temperature extremes: Adhesives used in packaging may need to withstand extreme temperatures during shipping and storage, ranging from freezing cold to high heat.
  • Humidity: Moisture can affect the performance of adhesives, causing them to weaken or lose their bond strength over time.
  • Chemical exposure: Packaging may be exposed to various chemicals during transport or storage, which can affect the adhesive’s performance.
  • Vibration and shock: Packaging may experience vibration and shock during transport, which can cause the adhesive bond to weaken or fail.
  • Substrate compatibility: Adhesives may not be compatible with certain substrates, leading to poor adhesion or delamination.
  • Time pressure: Packaging adhesives must often be applied quickly and efficiently to meet production and shipping deadlines.
  • Environmental regulations: Packaging adhesives may need to comply with environmental regulations, such as restrictions on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).

Of course manufacturers have their own unique ways to overcome these challenges, such as using UV-curable adhesives or adding special coatings to the adhesive.

Adhesive manufacturers have their own unique ways to overcome certain packaging challenges.

Trends and Innovations:

Finally, let’s mention the latest trends and innovations in the packaging adhesive industry, including the growing demand for eco-friendly adhesives, the use of smart packaging with embedded sensors, and the development of advanced adhesives that provide tamper-evident and security features.

To wrap up

In conclusion, packaging adhesives play a critical role in ensuring the integrity and performance of packaging, and ultimately, the products inside. By choosing the right adhesive and staying abreast of the latest trends and innovations, companies can ensure that their products remain protected and secure throughout the supply chain.

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