Henkel Introduces Bio-based PU Adhesives for Load-bearing Timbers

TAGS:  Sustainability / Natural Adhesives      Polyurethane Adhesives    

Henkel launches new Loctite engineered wood adhesives, HB S ECO and CR 821 ECO. The new adhesives reduces CO₂ emissions by more than 60 percent compared to fossil-based alternatives¹. Both ECO variants are already available for load-bearing timber construction.

Adding Value to Mass Timber Industry

Henkel is creating added value for the industry and helping to make the use of mass timber even more sustainable.

"With Loctite HB S ECO and Loctite CR 821 ECO, we are launching two of our best-selling certified polyurethane (PUR) adhesives as bio-based variants. The solutions offer an excellent standard of performance. Our first bio-based PUR adhesives deliver the high levels of safety, durability, productivity and reliability our customers expect from Henkel adhesives," says Dr. Christian Fild, global director engineered wood at Henkel.

"For both our direct customers and architects, the sustainability of the adhesives used plays a very important role. After all, they are a fundamental part of modern wood construction. Thanks to Henkel's commitment to pioneer innovative solutions, engineered wood adhesives are becoming a vital building block on the path to even greater sustainability."

Enables Invisible Bonding of Hybrid Wood

Used globally, the Loctite HB S product series has introduced an even more sustainable option with the addition of the ECO variant to the product range. Loctite HB S ECO is a one-component polyurethane adhesive that is free of volatile organic compounds and solvents. The adhesive is manufactured with 63 percent bio-based materials² and is certified according to the ISCC PLUS3 mass balance method. Compared to conventional HB S solutions, the ECO variant generates 66 percent⁴ lower CO₂eq emissions.

As a bio-based two-component polyurethane resin, Loctite CR 821 ECO is an innovation that enables invisible bonding of hybrid wood construction elements. With easy product handling due to its excellent flow properties, the product is versatile and offers highest performance, including in certified load-bearing applications such as glued-in-rods.

The ECO variant additionally improves the environmental footprint: CO₂ emissions are 62 percent⁴ lower than a fossil-based version. The product was developed with 71 percent bio-based materials⁵ and is partly ISCC PLUS³ certified.

Comprehensive Sustainable Benefits for Users

Henkel ensures that all the necessary certifications for load-bearing timber construction are taken care of with its Loctite ECO products: ECO adhesives come with the appropriate documentation, including life cycle assessments and ISCC PLUS certificates. For ISCC PLUS certification, in a closed system according to the mass balance model, at the end of the production process it must be possible to remove exactly the specified amount of bio-based material from the process as was present at the start of the process.

The mass balance model enables the production of solutions that are a mixture of bio-based and fossil materials. In this context, every participant in a product's supply chain must be certified from the point of origin to the warehouse. The relevant Henkel sites already meet these requirements today.

1 The figures are based on a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment by Henkel.
2 by weight of organic materials certified according to the mass balance method.
3 ISCC PLUS is a globally applicable sustainability certification system for sustainable raw materials. Examples of raw materials classified as biocircular or biobased include vegetable oils, animal fats, and organic wastes, excluding all inorganic fillers.
4 The figures are based on a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment by Henkel.
5 by weight of organic materials containing both direct bio-based and bio-circular raw materials certified according to the mass balance method.

Source: Henkel