H.B. Fuller opens Adhesive Academy in Germany

The company’s newest technical centre of excellence is intended to help its customers respond more quickly and effectively to market trends, industry challenges and opportunities. Combining state-of the-art equipment with the collective knowledge of experts drawn from H.B. Fuller’s global network, H.B. Fuller said the facility will be a focus for adhesive R&D excellence and, drawing on specialist knowledge from different industry sectors, provides an environment to work in partnership with customers to resolve issues and develop new products more rapidly than ever before.

As well as R&D and testing facilities, the Adhesive Academy features application labs focused on specific markets where adhesive technologies are prevalent, such as packaging, hygiene and durable assembly, which include equipment to replicate real-life production environments such as a Krones label applicator.

‘Our new adhesive academy is a perfect example of what we mean by “connecting what matters”,’ said Jim Owens, H.B. Fuller president and CEO. ‘It brings together everything necessary to connect customers to innovative adhesive solutions that will give them a competitive edge.

‘From the academy, we will strengthen our commercial partnerships, solve some of the world’s toughest adhesion challenges and develop market-ready solutions to help drive customer and industry performance.’

Nick Lehman, H.B. Fuller R&D director, continued: ‘By bringing together adhesive specialists from different sectors to share expertise, transfer technologies between markets and stimulate ideas, we are confident we can accelerate adhesive innovation. Furthermore, we are providing those experts with first-class offices, laboratories, technical facilities and machinery to ensure they have the best possible environment in which to think and to create.’

Owens was joined for the official opening and plaque unveiling ceremony by Lehman, Hassan Rmaile, H.B. Fuller chief technology and innovation officer, and Ulrich Mädge, the Lord Mayor of Lüneburg.

The Lüneburg Adhesive Academy has also been LEED Gold certified, making it one of only a small number of laboratories worldwide certified to the program for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of high-performance green buildings, and first in Germany. LEED recognizes performance in sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and Innovation, and design process.

Mark Bose of Masterplan, and LEED consultant to H.B. Fuller, said: ‘This award shines a light on H.B. Fuller’s commitment to sustainability, not only in developing innovative solutions to enable customer sustainability, but also in minimizing H.B. Fuller’s own impact on the environment.’

‘We are tremendously proud of this achievement,’ added Owens. ‘Not only is our Lüneburg Adhesive Academy an important hub for industry leading product development and manufacturing solutions, it also is a model of sustainability that will continue to set the standard in the adhesive industry. LEED’s independent research provides valuable recognition of the work of our exceptional global team to drive forward H.B. Fuller’s sustainability goals.’