The ongoing pandemic and changes in consumer behavior have created many challenges for panel and furniture manufacturers around the globe. The demand for funiture products is still high, along with the evergrowing demand for sustainable products. Many countries have taken actions and launched stimulus packages to promote “green growth”. This is further spearheaded by retailers who strive to stand out by offering sustainable products to their consumers. Consequently, manufacturers need to classify and establish their supply chains, which ensure the highest possible amount of renewable and recycled materials in their products in line with that demand.
As an adhesive manufacturer with focus in the panel and furniture segment, Jowat has been researching and developing solutions to meet the targets for renewable and recycled materials, while ensuring there is no compromise in product performance and suitability for efficient industrial processes.
The global adhesive demand is estimated to about US$37 billion in 2021. The fastest growing region is Asia-Pacific, led by China as the world’s largest adhesive market. The furniture and panel industry is a small, highly specialised sub-segment. Of the approximately 10 million metric tonnes of adhesives used annually in Asia-Pacific alone, less than 2% are used in this market segment. Nevertheless, products based on renewable raw materials will play a significant role in the future.
THE CHEMISTRY OF RENEWABLE ADHESIVES
Plant-based oleochemistry, which converts renewable raw materials such as natural resins, vegetable oils and fats directly into base chemicals for everyday products, has been around for decades. The best known and by far the highest conversion rate is in biofuel or the detergent industry, based on such converted tensides.
For instance, vernonia oil can be extracted from the vernonia galamensis plant, or Ironweed, which can be converted to vernolic acid, of which epoxy resin can be manufactured. This technology is constantly expanding, and is useful and competitive for many industries. However, direct conversion of plants has limitations in terms of continuous availability, for instance during droughts, and possible impurities, usually based on the environmental growing conditions. That means the price and quality will fluctuate.
Therefore, more options have been developed to transform petrochemical processes by incorporating renewable and even recycled feedstock such as biomass.
The article is published in the magazine ''PANELS & FURNITURE ASIA" November/December 2021 in English language. You can download the original article down below.