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Lower the Weight Of Your Film and Nonwoven Materials Through Adhesive Application Management



systems can save on raw material and non-material costs alike



Michael Fornes, market development manager, Nonwovens & Web Coating, Nordson Corporation




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With today’s steadily climbing oil prices and increased focus on green or sustainable strategies, disposable hygiene product manufacturers would benefit significantly by lowering the weights of their oil-based film and nonwoven materials. Not only can manufacturers save on raw material usage, but also overall shipping costs, which can make up 60-70% of the non-material product cost. However, many manufacturers are overlooking a strategic way to achieve this goal and reap considerable cost savings—adhesive application.

Much of the time, the limiting factor preventing manufacturers from using lower weight materials, including polypropylene and polyethylene is the adhesive applications the films must endure. One opportunity to reduce weight is to change the adhesive itself: some adhesives offer lower application temperatures or provide better bond strength, allowing lower adhesive add-ons to be used. Another key and often overlooked opportunity exists that can reduce weights—and costs— for all manufacturers.

Auditing your adhesive application equipment can reveal immediate, productive opportunities for film weight reduction. The two main strategies for adhesive application auditing are add-on variation management and application technology optimization.