In 2010, Avery Dennison chemist Jean Louis Cattani and a cross-functional team took on a challenge to develop a more sustainable hotmelt adhesive range. Used for consumer product labeling, the original adhesive formula relied on a steady supply of expensive and increasingly hard to source petroleum-based chemicals.
As a first step, they found a resin alternative with a sustainable supply, at an affordable cost. The team chose a component derived from pine trees called a rosin ester tackifier. Because of the ample supply and low cost, the new tackifier became the backbone of a new hotmelt adhesive - 2045N.
The team knew they were onto a long-term sustainable solution. Product testing success energized the team and inspired them to continue improving the adhesive.
They found new chemical components in 2014 to improve sustainability and performance, and today about 40 percent of our hotmelt portfolio includes sustainably sourced components.
On the Horizon
Jean Louis Cattani has since retired from Avery Dennison, but he leaves behind a strong legacy and a team of expert scientists carrying the torch. As the industry continues to move away from petroleum-based tackifiers and toward more sustainable solutions, the valuable work he led continues to inspire new ideas.
In 2017, Avery Dennison released a new hotmelt adhesive - 2045NX3 - with even more sustainably sourced content.
