Henkel’s Loctite adhesives, sealants and functional coatings have been a mainstay of the mining industry for decades, helping end users to increase uptime, improve efficiency, and enhance safety and reliability. This proven track record of success recently inspired Weir Minerals, the manufacturer of Linatex®, the world’s leading brand of premium natural rubber, to partner with Henkel in the development of LINATEX® LOCTITE® - LINA 88™ adhesive range: a new solvent-free and zero VOC adhesive range for rubber lining. Designed specifically for Weir’s Linatex® rubber products (used to line mineral processing equipment), the collaboration with Henkel has led to an adhesive that both enhances sustainability and delivers best-in-class bond strength at the same time.
Sep 15, 2021 Düsseldorf / Germany
Launch of industry-first high performance, zero VOC adhesive range for rubber lining
By creating innovative solutions and customized technologies, the Henkel experts for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings maximize value for leading OEMs and their customers. This has been demonstrated in the significant collaboration with Weir to bring the breakthrough in adhesive technology to the mining industry.
The objective for Weir Minerals was to offer a solvent-free adhesive for rubber lining applications with zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a feat that represents a mining industry-first. Carbon-based VOCs are undesirable due to their negative impact on the environment and occupational safety. As such, sustainability leaders like Henkel and Weir are proactively looking for ways to drive down VOC emissions as part of their sustainability strategies, by developing products that are safer for the environment and operators.
There was a clear challenge in undertaking this joint development project: cutting down on VOC emissions must not lead to a compromise in adhesive performance. Here, Henkel’s input and technical support throughout the R&D phase proved fundamental in achieving a highly successful outcome.
Based on a proprietary formulation, the new LINATEX® LOCTITE® - LINA 88™ cold-bonding rubber adhesive range sets a new industry reference for bond strength. The product not only surpasses the current British Standard by up to a factor of four but is significantly stronger than existing adhesives used by the mining sector for rubber lining applications.
“We've had many customers across the globe approach us to help them find ways to improve safety for their employees,” explains Mark Doyle, Global Product Manager – Linatex® Rubber and Hose. “At Weir Minerals we take safety very seriously and looked at several possible solutions. Our team worked closely with Loctite experts to develop an adhesive that is stronger than existing products with the double benefit of being free of solvents and VOCs. Coincidentally, many mine sites and even regional governments are now starting to mandate the use of adhesives with zero VOCs. We’re thrilled to say that we have a product which meets this challenge.”
Ricardo Garib, Weir Minerals Division President, adds: “Working with Henkel to develop an adhesive that not only outperforms what is currently in the market, but also delivers environmental and safety benefits is a fantastic result for mine operators and their employees. Weir Minerals promotes a safe environment for everyone; we consider it a priority for our customers and our own people in our service centres where we line minerals processing equipment with Linatex rubber. With sustainability as a key issue within our industry, we are proud to be at the forefront with innovative new products”.
The whole range of LINATEX® LOCTITE® - LINA 88™ products is non-flammable, further promoting its safety attributes. In addition, the product is easy to transport and does not require any special handling or storage facilities. It is also possible to spray the adhesive over the top of rubber lining to deliver solid protection against the effects of UV. In combination, the enhanced strength of LINATEX® LOCTITE® - LINA 88™ adhesive range and the long wear life of Linatex® premium rubber produces a highly attractive and environmentally responsible solution for mines seeking long-lasting equipment protection.
“We are so pleased that our collaboration with Weir Minerals has helped bring this new innovation to market,” states Mark Dorn, Senior Vice President Craftsmen, Construction & Professional for Henkel Adhesive Technologies and President of Henkel Asia Pacific. “It’s always exciting to pioneer new solutions for our customers that are able to deliver on both innovation and sustainability. Being able to positively impact environmental and occupational safety for those in the mining industry is definitely a rewarding accomplishment for the team.”
Dr. Nigel Fay, Corporate Vice President, Innovation and Application Engineering for Henkel Adhesive Technologies, is also extremely proud to share this significant milestone with Weir Minerals: “Delivering this breakthrough innovation to the market is representative of the mission that the Loctite business has delivered on for nearly 70 years. It’s about leveraging our expertise, our passion for innovation and our focus on solving the most difficult challenges to create new value for customers. Having the opportunity to bring this to life in collaboration with another industry leader like Weir Minerals has been extremely satisfying and is a true model for future success in the area of innovation.”
For more information about LINATEX® LOCTITE® - LINA 88™ products, visit linatex-lina88.com.
About The Weir Group PLC
Founded in 1871, The Weir Group PLC is a premium mining technology business whose purpose is to make customers’ operations more sustainable and efficient. The Group is ideally positioned to benefit from structural trends that support long-term demand for its technology including the need for more essential metals to support economic development and carbon transition. Weir’s highly engineered technology enables these critical resources to be produced using less energy, water and waste - reducing customers’ total cost of ownership. The Group has c.13,000 employees in over 60 countries. For more information, visit global.weir
Henkel and Weir Minerals have launched LINATEX® LOCTITE® - LINA 88™, the first high-performance, zero VOC adhesive range for rubber lining in the mining industry.
