Nordson and Henkel Establish Global Alliance on Innovative Consumer Packaging Solutions

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Henkel HEN, the leader in adhesives used for package bonding and sealing, and Nordson Corporation NDSN, a leading producer of precision dispensing equipment for adhesives and other materials, today announced that they have established a global alliance on new technology development for the packaging market worldwide to provide significant benefits and deliver greater value to their customers.

This alliance integrates Nordson's expertise in equipment engineering and dispensing technology with Henkel's formulating ability and application knowledge to address the challenges facing packaging customers. To meet those challenges, the two companies will offer integrated, innovative solutions that aim to increase reliability and process efficiency, reducing costs and increasing customer profitability. The alliance will also focus on increasing sustainability and minimizing packagers' impact on the environment.

Today, in Chicago at PACK EXPO, the largest, most comprehensive processing and packaging event in North America, the companies are previewing one of the first offerings to result from their alliance, the new Freedom™ System. The system combines Nordson's Freedom™ Series Hot Melt Dispensing equipment with Henkel's Technomelt® Freedom™-certified adhesives to help customers contain costs and simplify operations to increase productivity, reliability, and sustainability. This optimized combination of adhesive and equipment is in selected field tests now with a full commercial launch anticipated in the first quarter of 2013.

“Nordson and Henkel are leaders in their respective fields, and this alliance deepens our ongoing commitment to the packaging industry,” said Michael Hilton, president and chief executive officer of Nordson. “Together, we are better positioned to provide innovative solutions to meet our customers' needs and help them address industry challenges. The Freedom™ System is one of the many ways our combined efforts will benefit our common customers worldwide by increasing packaging efficiency and reducing cost per package sealed. We look forward to collectively supporting the many potential opportunities this relationship can foster to add value to our customers.”

“We are committed to providing the best products and services to our customers,” said Jan-Dirk Auris, executive vice president of Henkel Adhesive Technologies. “Offering total solutions that leverage the expertise from both Nordson and Henkel will demonstrate that commitment. We are excited about the incomparable benefits the new Alliance will be able to deliver to our customers. This alliance is very focused on sustainability. As an example, one critical issue facing the packaging industry has been the short supply of some traditional petrochemical-based raw materials used in the manufacture of hot melt adhesives. These supply issues stem from the increasing demand for these raw materials for other end products worldwide. The Freedom™ System represents an integrated design effort between Henkel and Nordson, which matches next generation high performance hot melt adhesive and advanced dispensing equipment to help meet such challenges.”

More specifically, the Freedom™ System combines optimized, high-performance adhesives with innovative dispensing equipment that eliminates conventional hot melt adhesive tanks and integrates adhesive-saving intermittent bead dispensing. Customers employing the system derive maximum value in the form of six Freedoms:

• Freedom from raw materials supply risk
• Freedom to mount anywhere
• Freedom from downtime
• Freedom from machine complexity
• Freedom from material waste
• Freedom from operator interaction

The alliance announcement was made at a press conference held at PACK EXPO International in Chicago, Illinois, USA, held October 28 through October 31, 2012, where both companies are exhibiting their most recent innovations. Jan-Dirk Auris, executive vice president of Henkel Adhesive Technologies and Michael Hilton, chief executive officer of Nordson, delivered an overview of the companies' combined efforts and plans.

For more information about Nordson Adhesive Dispensing Systems, visit www.nordson.com/hotmelt.

For more information about Henkel Adhesive Technologies, visit www.henkel.com.

About Nordson Corporation

Nordson Corporation delivers precision technology solutions that help customers increase speed, productivity and up-time, enable new products and features, and decrease material usage. The company engineers, manufactures and markets differentiated products and systems used for dispensing and processing adhesives, plastics, coatings, sealants, biomaterials and other materials, fluid management, testing and inspection, and UV curing and surface plasma treatment, all supported by application expertise and direct global sales and service. Nordson serves a wide variety of consumer non-durable, durable and technology end markets including packaging, nonwovens, electronics, medical, appliances, energy, transportation, building and construction, and general product assembly and finishing. Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, the company has operations and support offices in more than 30 countries. Visit Nordson at, twitter.com/Nordson_Corp, or Facebook.com/Nordson.

About Henkel

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies in three business areas: Laundry & Home Care, Beauty Care and Adhesive Technologies. Founded in 1876, Henkel holds globally leading market positions both in the consumer and industrial businesses with well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. Henkel employs about 47,000 people and reported sales of $21.7 billion and adjusted operating profit of $2.8 billion in fiscal 2011. Henkel's preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. www.henkelna.com/press.