Lucy Pilgrim is an in-house writer for Manufacturing Outlook Magazine, where she is responsible for interviewing corporate executives and crafting original features for the magazine, corporate...
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Henkel Adhesive Technologies has modernised its Packaging Competence Centre in Düsseldorf, Germany, to meet the evolving demands of the packaging industry, serving as a central industrial hub that drives hands-on collaboration.
Henkel Adhesive Technologies (Henkel) has unveiled its modernised Packaging Competence Centre in Düsseldorf, Germany, created to support customers in developing and scaling next-generation packaging solutions.
The investment comes as the packaging industry responds to tightening sustainability regulations, increasing demand for circular packaging, and growing digitalisation across manufacturing operations.
Designed as a collaborative innovation hub, the upgraded facility enables customers and partners to test, refine, and scale adhesive and coating technologies under realistic production conditions.
“The choice of adhesive or coating made today are defining the packages that will reach the shelves tomorrow,” says Dirk Martin, Head of Henkel Packaging Adhesives and Coatings in Europe.
“With our Packaging Competence Centre, we are making sure those choices are the right ones by giving our customers and partners a unique environment to develop, test, and scale the solutions that will shape the future of packaging: faster, smarter, and more sustainably than ever before.”
ADVANCING INDUSTRY COLLABORATION
The modernisation follows Henkel’s strategic partnership with Nordmeccanica, announced in May 2025, focused on driving innovation and sustainability within the flexible packaging sector.
New equipment installed at the site includes Nordmeccanica’s Super Combi 5000 and Super Simplex SL e800 machines, supporting standard lamination and coating processes widely used throughout the industry. The facility also features five flexible application trolleys with gearless flexo coating technology, alongside enhanced digital systems for process monitoring and data collection.
Henkel states the upgraded centre reflects the latest industrial standards whilst allowing customers to validate solutions before introducing them at industrial scale.
“A strategic partnership only creates value when it delivers results in practice,” says Nordmeccanica Vice President Vincenzo Cerciello.
“With our machinery now at the core of the modernised Packaging Competence Centre, we are turning shared ambition into concrete capabilities, enabling the packaging industry to test, refine, and scale solutions with a level of precision and speed that simply wasn’t possible before.”
SUPPORTING THE SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION
According to Henkel, the facility has been designed to support the industry’s transition towards recyclable packaging solutions and reduced use of chemicals of concern.
“The site is built for where the industry is heading: recyclable solutions and fewer chemicals of concern,” says Kai Ethner, Director of Application Engineering for Henkel Packaging Adhesives and Coatings in Europe.
“For example, coatings are essential to this transition, enabling the functional mono-material packaging designs the market increasingly demands. With a particular focus on gravure and flexographic coating applications for plastic and paper substrates, we are helping our customers test faster, scale sooner, and bring recyclable solutions to market with greater impact. Henkel is covering its complete product portfolio ranging from solvent-free, water-based, solvent-based, as well as coatings solutions.”
Alongside developments in flexible packaging, Henkel has also expanded its testing capabilities for pressure-sensitive adhesive applications. For example, the updated laboratory area now includes modern coating systems together with UV activation and measurement technologies to support the specialty tapes and labels market.
END-TO-END SUPPORT
The Packaging Competence Centre also connects directly with the neighbouring Inspiration Centre Düsseldorf, enabling customers to access support across the entire product lifecycle, from chemistry development and application testing through to recyclability testing and training programmes.
Henkel additionally offers customer support initiatives including the Converter’s Academy and PSA Academy to help businesses strengthen understanding of application technologies and accelerate implementation into production environments.
“Achieving our number one target, true sustainability in packaging, demands strong collaboration across the value chain,” says Ethner.
“This is not just about new machines or buildings: It’s about bringing experience and expertise together to move the industry forward with our customers and our partners.”
Kai Ethner, Director of Application Engineering, Henkel Packaging Adhesives and Coatings in Europe
This article was produced by the editorial team at Manufacturing Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
Manufacturing Outlook provides ongoing coverage of organisations and developments shaping the global manufacturing industry.
Lucy Pilgrim is an in-house writer for Manufacturing Outlook Magazine, where she is responsible for interviewing corporate executives and crafting original features for the magazine, corporate brochures, and the digital platform.
