Thomas Ruppert
New Business Development Manager Converter Solutions Group
Bostik Inc.
25 years with the company
(414) 774-2250
www.bostik.com

Q: What kinds of adhesives does your company provide to the flexible packaging industry? Briefly explain.

Ruppert: Bostik currently provides a variety of adhesives for the flexible packaging industry, including microwavable and ovenable heat seal coatings, cold seal coatings for the high-speed packaging of confections, cookies and granola bars, solvent-born laminating adhesives and food-grade PSA adhesives, which provide the unique function of resealability and recloseability for a variety of flexible packaging applications. 

Q: How has the flexible packaging industry specifically impacted the adhesives market over recent years?

Ruppert: The FPI has created the demand for innovative adhesive products that provide added functionality to flexible packaging, such as high-speed packaging equipment that packages candy bars at over 1,000 packages per minute; resealability for cookie tray overwrap; and resealable lidding for sliced cheese and luncheon meats. 

Additionally, consumer trends that are driving the flexible packaging industry are also driving changes in the adhesives market.  Consumer demands for convenience and environmentally friendly packaging solutions were driving factors in Bostik’s innovative resealable adhesives.    

Q: What are your thoughts on the sustainability efforts pertaining to the adhesives market within the flexible packaging industry? Does your company currently provide any green adhesives to the flexible packaging industry?

Ruppert: One of the most important efforts in the FPI is prevention of food waste through the use of flexible packaging.  It is estimated that 40 percent of the food we produce in the U.S. is thrown away due to food spoilage.  Through the creation of flexible packaging that helps to preserve food freshness for longer durations (i.e. recloseable/resealable), companies are able to reduce the amount of food that is unnecessarily thrown away.

Bostik’s line of M-Resin and JB adhesives are directly targeted toward these sustainability trends.  Bostik was the first to patent extrudable reseal adhesive technology, which blends the easy usability that consumers need with the environmentally friendly solutions that converters want.

Q: Which type(s) of adhesive are your flexible packaging customers requesting the most?

Ruppert: Cold seal coatings (i.e. cohesive coatings) are very popular with food manufacturers that are packaging at speeds in excess of 1,000 packages per minute.  Also popular are coatings that provide a resealable functionality that is very popular with today’s consumers of flexible packaging.

Q: Are there any new developments/technologies you see happening in the adhesives market for flexible packaging? If so, please elaborate.

Ruppert: There is a growing demand for adhesives that provide resealable and reclosable functionality to flexible packaging.  The source of the demand is from customers who are concerned by the amount of food that is wasted due to spoilage.  Other trends, such as the need for increased line speeds and reduced costs, are also driving our innovations.

Bostik's patented reseal adhesive technology blends usability with functionality to keep food fresher, longer