Henkel launches bio-based PU adhesives for load-bearing timber construction

DUESSELDORF, Germany—Henkel A.G. launched bio-based variants of its Loctite engineered wood adhesives for load-bearing timber construction. The new polyurethane-based adhesives, HB S Eco and CR 821 Eco, claim to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 60 percent compared to fossil-based alternatives.

HB S Eco is a one-component PU adhesive that is free from VOCs and solvents. It is made using 63-percent bio-based materials, and certified according to the ISCC Plus mass balance method. It generates 66-percent lower CO2 emissions than the fossil-based product.

The second product, CR 821 Eco, is a bio-based two-component PU resin that allows hybrid wood construction elements to be invisibly bonded. The company said it has good flow properties that make it easy to handle, and it can be used in certified load-bearing applications such as glued-in rods. It includes 71-percent bio-based materials, is partly ISCC Plus certified, and gives a 62-percent reduction in CO2 emissions.

Mass timber construction, Henkel said, is an important driver in achieving sustainable practices and lower CO2 emissions. Henkel supplies certified adhesives for load-bearing mass timber. It said the shift from fossil-based to bio-based adhesives will also help in achieving these goals.  

“Our first bio-based PUR adhesives deliver the high levels of safety, durability, productivity and reliability our customers expect from Henkel adhesives,” said Christian Fild, Henkel’s global director for engineered wood. “For both our direct customers and architects, the sustainability of the adhesives used plays a very important role. After all, they are a fundamental part of modern wood construction. Thanks to Henkel’s commitment to pioneer innovative solutions, engineered wood adhesives are becoming a vital building block on the path to even greater sustainability.”