A Strategic Transition to Hot Melt Adhesives

The use of solvents in adhesives is an industry standard and practice. However, this process can result in greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Green is the new black, meaning federal requirements, companies and customers are becoming increasingly driven by environmentally friendly business practices. As we continue to invest in a greener future, we continue to employ a continuous improvement mindset to our manufacturing activities, which has led us to transition key products from solvent-based to hot melt adhesives.

Opportunity: Making the Switch

By transitioning key products in our FrogTape® and Shurtape® brand painting tape portfolios to hot melt adhesive systems, we are able to maintain the quality and performance expected of these products, while reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing process.

“While all of our operations meet regulatory requirements established to protect the environment and the surrounding communities, including conformance with health-based standards for emissions, the opportunity to transition some key products to hot melt adhesive systems allows us to reduce emissions and continue to meet – and exceed – our tenant of environmental stewardship beyond regulatory requirements,” says Mark Hawes, Director of Environment, Safety and Product Compliance.

Results: Managing for Progression

By year-end 2021, Shurtape had moved 62% of the volume for premium and blue painter’s tapes from a solvent-based adhesive system to a more environmentally friendly hot melt adhesive, which offered a 52% savings on GHG emissions. These efforts resulted in a total avoidance of an estimated 25,127 metric tons of GHGs; that’s equivalent to the CO2 emissions generated from consuming 2.8 million gallons of gasoline.

And, it doesn’t stop there. See what else we are doing to improve our organization as a responsible business.