The industry's interest in the multi-award-winning bio hotmelt adhesive Caremelt® continues unabated. Now there is a customer from a less obvious sector for hotmelt applications: The company ROSENGARTEN-Tierbestattung - the market leader in Germany with around 500 employees and more than 50 branches - seals urns with the particularly sustainable Thuringian product.
ROSENGARTEN made initial contact to Rudolstadt last year. Through scientific research, the company came across numerous publications on the completely bio-based and biodegradable hot-melt adhesive from TITK. The starting point for the search: the industry leader from Badbergen (Lower Saxony) is not only committed to a dignified farewell for dogs, cats and horses, but also wants to improve the burial of animals in terms of nature and environmental protection.
All components of the so-called single cremation, such as the urn, ash bag and seal, have already been converted to completely biodegradable products. Thanks to the development from the TITK, the previously used petroleum-based adhesive can now also be replaced. “Our innovation quickly proved its worth during preliminary tests and practical adhesive tests on site at the company,” says Uwe Schmidt, responsible for research transfer at TITK.
With its high adhesive strength, good workability and pleasant smell, Caremelt® scored particularly well at ROSENGARTEN-Tierbestattung. “With the consistent switch to bio-based materials, the CO2 footprint of our company has now improved significantly,” says the service provider. But that's not all: the provider's range also includes mementos to comfort pet owners after the loss of their faithful companions. For example, paw print plaques. The use of Caremelt® is also conceivable for this product.
Whether book spines or moving boxes, baby diapers or table edges, car interiors or textiles - the bio-hotmelt adhesive from TITK is at home in many fields of application and helps to prevent microplastics from entering the environment. Research into Caremelt® began almost eight years ago. Project manager Andreas Krypczyk chose biopolymers made from plant starch such as corn starch as the starting materials. Added to this are bio-based components such as tree resins and lemon-based plasticizers.
The challenge was to develop the right formulation from this with a great deal of patience and persistence so that Caremelt® would reach the level of conventional hot melt adhesives. By selecting the right raw materials and additionally modifying the biopolymers, the development ultimately became a real success - winning the BIOPOLYMER Innovation Award and the Ernst Pelz Prize for Renewable Raw Materials in 2023.
