Henkel Presents Next Generation Packaging Technologies Combining Recyclability Material Efficiency and Lower Emissions

With its wide range of barrier, heat seal and cold seal coatings for flexible and paper-based packaging for food and non-food applications, Henkel offers solutions that enhance product protection and processability, extend shelf life, and help reduce product loss, resource consumption and emissions across the supply chain.

(IN BRIEF) Henkel is presenting its latest sustainable packaging innovations at Interpack 2026, focusing on how adhesives and coatings can significantly improve recyclability, reduce material usage, and lower carbon emissions. The company emphasizes a holistic approach to packaging design, where all components work together to enhance performance and environmental impact. Through its Packaging Recyclab and collaboration with the cyclos-HTP Institute, Henkel supports customers in developing recycling-compatible solutions using recognized testing standards. Additionally, the company is advancing functional coatings that enable simpler packaging structures and mono-material designs, while also reducing resource consumption. With ongoing efforts to incorporate renewable materials and energy-efficient technologies, Henkel aims to drive measurable sustainability improvements across the packaging value chain.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜSSELDORF, 16-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Henkel is set to showcase its latest advancements in sustainable packaging technologies at Interpack 2026, taking place from May 7 to 13 in Düsseldorf. Under the theme Enabling Circularity Reducing Footprint With Adhesives and Coatings, the company will highlight how adhesives and functional coatings can play a pivotal role in improving packaging sustainability while lowering carbon emissions.

While packaging sustainability is often associated with the primary material, Henkel emphasizes that true environmental performance depends on the interaction of all packaging components. Adhesives and coatings, though contributing only a small fraction of total weight, significantly influence recyclability, product protection, and overall resource efficiency. By optimizing these elements, Henkel aims to support the development of packaging systems that perform effectively throughout their lifecycle and are easier to recycle at end of use.

The industry is facing increasing pressure to evolve, driven by stricter regulatory requirements, brand expectations, and the need to reduce material consumption and emissions. At the same time, packaging must continue to meet demanding standards for safety, durability, and operational efficiency. Henkel approaches this challenge by integrating sustainability considerations early in the design process, ensuring that packaging structures, materials, processing methods, and end-of-life outcomes are aligned.

At the Henkel Packaging Recyclab in Düsseldorf, Henkel tests formulations and packaging designs in accordance with recognized protocols such as Cepi/4evergreen and the CHI methodology.

Martin Hilgenstock, Senior Sustainability Manager for Packaging Adhesives at Henkel, highlighted the importance of a holistic approach, noting that combining functionality with recyclability and resource efficiency is essential for achieving measurable environmental improvements across the value chain. The company is actively developing solutions that enable recycling-compatible packaging while reducing carbon impact.

A key part of this effort is the Henkel Packaging Recyclab in Düsseldorf, where packaging designs and adhesive formulations are evaluated using established industry protocols such as Cepi/4evergreen and CHI methodology. Insights gained from these tests are used both to refine Henkel’s own technologies and to assist customers in creating packaging concepts that meet recyclability standards.

Henkel is also collaborating with the cyclos-HTP Institute, a research and consulting body specializing in packaging certification. Representatives from the institute will be present at Henkel’s exhibition stand to provide guidance on assessing and improving recyclability using transparent and recognized methodologies.

In addition to recyclability, Henkel is focusing on reducing material usage while maintaining or enhancing product protection. At Interpack, the company will present functional coatings designed to simplify packaging structures by replacing certain layers, enabling mono-material solutions, and improving barrier properties. These innovations help extend product shelf life, reduce waste, and minimize resource consumption throughout the supply chain.

Efforts to cut carbon emissions are also central to Henkel’s strategy. The company is working closely with suppliers to introduce renewable raw materials as alternatives to fossil-based inputs, while also adopting more energy-efficient production technologies. In application, solvent-free adhesive systems further contribute to emissions reduction by eliminating the need for energy-intensive drying processes associated with solvent-based solutions.

Visitors to Interpack 2026 will have the opportunity to explore these innovations and learn how Henkel’s integrated approach to sustainability is being translated into practical packaging solutions at stand D45 in Hall 10.

About Henkel

With its brands, innovations and technologies, Henkel holds leading market positions worldwide in the industrial and consumer businesses. The business unit Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the market for adhesives, sealants and coatings. With Consumer Brands, the company holds leading positions especially in laundry & home care and hair in many markets and categories around the world. The company’s three strongest brands are Loctite, Persil and Schwarzkopf. In fiscal 2025, Henkel reported sales of about 20.5 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of around 3.0 billion euros. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. Sustainability has a long tradition at Henkel, and the company has a clear sustainability strategy with specific targets. Henkel was founded in 1876 and today employs a diverse team of about 47,000 people worldwide – united by a strong corporate culture, shared values and a common purpose: “Pioneers at heart for the good of generations.” More information at www.henkel.com

Media Contacts:

Oliver Jüntgen
Phone: +49-151-6800-2569
Email: oliver.juentgen@henkel.com

Nadja Normann
Phone: +49 2602 950 99-09
Email: njn@additiv.de

Sebastian Hinz
Adhesive Technologies
Media Relations
Headquarters, Düsseldorf/Germany
+49-211-797-8594
press@henkel.com

SOURCE: Henkel