When you think of glue sticks and glue guns, there’s a good chance that you’re thinking of crafting applications. However, these handy adhesive wonders are commonly used in some of the world’s most demanding industrial applications, ranging from construction to commercial packaging. Here are the top 12 industrial applications for hot melt glue sticks.
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Food Packaging - One of the primary reasons hot melt glue sticks are so popular among food packaging applications—for example, sealing the box tops on your favorite brand of crackers or cereal—is because they’re free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can create a foul odor and can compromise the quality of foods. A popular choice in agricultural packaging, hot melt adhesive does well in hot climates and are able to withstand extreme temperatures. There are also special freezer-grade hot melts for use in carton-closing freezer foods.
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General Consumer Packaging - In addition to food-grade packaging adhesives, hot melts are also implemented in a wide range of other packaging uses, from toys and home goods to medical equipment. Hot melt glue sticks provide a high-strength bond between papers, cardboards, plastics and other materials, making them a good choice for a wide range of packaging containers.
- Carton-Sealing - One of the most popular applications for industrial hot melts is carton-sealing. The packaging industry relies on hot melts in order to effectively seal boxes and cartons and in the use of pallet sealing and stabilization.
That’s because hot melt adhesives are able to bond a wide range of shapes, from small detailed cartons to heavy-duty pallets and cases. It also offers the ability to perform well in various temperatures, making it great for shipping and storage.
- Creating Envelopes, Bags and More - The manufacture of envelopes, bags and corrugated cardboard heavily relies on hot melt glue guns and sticks. These adhesives provide a strong hold on paper, cardboard and other materials, in order to effectively create containers using only the materials themselves and the adhesive. Whether applied via an industrial hot melt dispensing system or manually with a hot melt glue gun, these adhesives are flexible yet strong, making them a good choice for such applications.
- Printing and Publishing - Often times, books and magazines are bound together using hot melt adhesives in order to create a flexible yet secure bond. Hot melt glue is commonly implemented in bookbinding and print finishing because of its fast-drying yet flexible appeal.
Perfect binding, the preferred method for binding paperback books, is often completed with the help of hot melts. PUR binding, which is similar to perfect binding but instead uses PUR adhesive, is also achieved via hot melts.
- Packaging Labels - Again, because hot melt glue sticks are free of VOCs, they’re a high-quality option for adhering labels to food and beverage products. However, they are also commonly used in applying labels to non-food items, because they provide an adequate hold on paper, plastic and other labeling materials. They are regularly implanted in automatic labeling and product assembly applications.
- Textile Manufacturing - You may not think of glue as a desirable fastener in textile applications, but that’s not so! In fact, hot melt glue sticks are commonly used in both the creation and finishing of synthetic fabrics. They are also regularly used in polymer processing and textile converting in cars, carpeting, home furnishing and other textile-based manufacturing applications.
- Disposable Diaper Manufacturing - Hot melts are used in a wide variety of disposable hygiene and nonwoven product applications. Whether in the manufacture of baby diapers, feminine care products or adult incontinence products, hot melt adhesives are often an integral part of the process.
- Cigarette Manufacturing - Cold glues and hot melt adhesives are commonly used as the holding substrate implementing in cigarette manufacturing. The cigarette sticks require a long-lasting, safe-to-burn adhesive in order to seal in the tobacco. They are also used in cigarette carton and box manufacturing.
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Electronics Manufacturing - Many manufacturers implement the use of hot melt adhesives in the manufacture, sealing and labeling of electronics. Because of their flexible makeup and ability to perform well in many temperatures, these adhesives are commonly used in order to affix parts and wires or as an agent for securing, insulating or protecting the electronics’ components.
- Woodworking - From at-home woodworking projects to large-scale industrial applications, hot melts have long been considered a top-notch wood glue option. These glues are used in product assembly, lamination, sealing and labeling in an expansive assortment of woodworking applications.
- Building and Construction - For the same reasons hot melt adhesives are a popular choice in woodworking, they’re also great choice for many building and construction applications, including as a flooring adhesive, a window adhesive or a door adhesive. Because these adhesives offer the right blend of high-strength, versatility and drying speed, they are favored in remodeling and floor installation.