Henkel: Getting Cryogenic

Overview

Henkel is the world leader in adhesives, sealants and functional coatings for consumers, craftsmen and industrial applications. When CleanMark first approached Henkel with a cold call, they didn’t express any immediate interest in doing business together. But over the course of that first conversation, the CleanMark salesperson was able to pique their interest in our capabilities. Henkel eventually described one very specific problem they were having with labels used in cryogenics that CleanMark might be able to help them with.

The Challenge

Henkel was making a specialty adhesive in the U.S. for bonding semiconductors. The adhesive was temperature-sensitive; it required refrigerated storage and, when shipped, needed to be packed in dry ice. Due to the low temperatures, the labels that were affixed to the adhesive’s syringe-like applicators were falling off in transit. Not being marked properly upon delivery was causing a major problem. Henkel needed a label they could count on to survive the intense temperatures.

The Process & Solution

Our first attempt was to use existing freezer labels, but testing proved that they would not perform well considering the time and distance requirements of Henkel’s global shipping. CleanMark COO Lane Kagey contacted a chemist he knew and inquired about developing an adhesive to stand up to the low temperatures. The chemist explained that when adhesives get really cold, they get brittle. An adhesive could be produced to withstand the cold, but when re-exposed to room temperature it would become very fluid. CleanMark’s challenge was to develop an adhesive that could perform at dry ice temperatures, while also maintaining its integrity at room temperature.

A couple of different alternative chemistries were developed and tested, and finally CleanMark chose one that met the stringent requirements with one condition: both the raw material and the finished stock had to be kept in an air-conditioned room—a warehouse was too warm. The proposal for the new product went to Henkel. They tested it, used it for shipping their adhesives overseas, and the performance of the labels proved exceptional.

The Result

Cold Storage Labels

When your laboratory samples are stored from 10°c to -196°c, it is critical to use cold storage labels which have been properly engineered to withstand these cold temperatures. Learn more about the cold storage labels we offer and why customers trust our labels to do the job right.

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