Custom hot melt adhesives for medical devices, labels, tapes and security applications
artimelt AG
Sursee (CH) · Tucker, GA (USA)New on Amplifa
The hot melt adhesive specialists from Sursee
artimelt AG, headquartered in Sursee (Switzerland), is a manufacturer specialising in hot melt adhesives whose roots go back to the start of production in Sursee in 1981; the current company was founded in 2016 as a consolidation of hot melt expertise. The company develops and produces custom adhesives with a focus on pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA), alongside laminating and hot melt sealing adhesives (non-PSA) as well as UV-crosslinkable, biobased, coloured, colour-changing, laser-markable, breathable, antimicrobial and sterilisation-resistant adhesives. Discontinuous batch production is carried out by mixing the raw materials at 130 to 190 degrees Celsius; raw materials include, among others, styrenic block polymers, acrylates, polyolefins, EVA and biopolymers. Main application areas are medical devices with skin contact, security applications, labels (including linerless and food contact), tapes, packaging, construction and transport. Development and production for the medical device industry are carried out in accordance with (EN) ISO 13485; supply is worldwide, complemented by the subsidiary LSA Adhesives Inc. in the USA.
- Site
- Sursee
- Processes
- Production of hot melt adhesives as a custom speciality, Production of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA), Production of UV-crosslinkable hot melt adhesives (UVC irradiation), Production of hot melt sealing adhesives (non-PSA), Production of laminating adhesives (non-PSA), Production of breathable adhesives, Production of antimicrobial adhesives, Production of sterile / sterilisation-resistant adhesives (ethylene oxide, gamma, X-rays)
- Materials
- Synthetic rubber (styrenic block polymers), Acrylates, Polyolefin, Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), Bio-polymers / biopolymers, Biobased raw materials (wood, molasses, plant oils), Titanium dioxide (white pigment for artimeltwhite), Zinc oxide (optional in artimeltwhite)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, (EN) ISO 13485:2016, EcoVadis Bronze Medal, EnAW certificate (Energie-Agentur der Wirtschaft / Energy Agency for Industry), EcoVadis Bronze, EnAW certificate
- Founded
- 1981
- Industries
- Medical technology/medical devices, Security sector, Packaging, Labels, Labels for food products, Tapes
- 01
Raw material receipt and incoming goods inspection
- 02
Partner process and development in the Experience Lab
- 03
Batch production (mixing at 130–190 °C)
- 04
Testing for viscosity, melting point and other properties
- 05
Filling into silicone-coated drums, boxes or packfree
- 06
Delivery and advice on processing
Hot melt technologies and raw materials
Hot melt adhesives (100% solids system)
Solvent-free hot melt adhesives as a custom speciality, produced discontinuously in batches.
Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA)
Core competence based on styrenic block polymers, acrylates, polyolefins and biopolymers for labels, tapes and medical applications.
UV-crosslinkable hot melt adhesives
Acrylate-based hot melts that develop their tack and shear properties after UVC irradiation; coating weights up to 125 g/m².
Hot melt sealing adhesives (EVA)
EVA-based non-PSA adhesives, especially for sterilisable packaging.
Laminating adhesives (polyolefin)
Polyolefin- and biopolymer-based adhesives for bonding multilayer laminates such as membranes and surgical drapes.
Biobased and sustainable hot melts
Adhesives made from renewable raw materials such as wood, molasses and plant oils, in some cases up to 95% biobased, as well as recyclable and compostable systems.
Medical specialities
Breathable, antimicrobial, sterilisation-resistant, water-absorbing (hydrocolloid) and low-peel adhesives for sensitive skin.
Locations
Sursee
CHHeadquarters, development and production
- Lot size
- Test quantities up to larger quantities (batch production)
- Materials
- Hot melt adhesives on a PSA and non-PSA basis
- Pilot plant (1982)
- Pilot plant, second generation (1989)
- Pilot plant, third generation (2008)
- Experience Lab
Applications and products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production of hot melt adhesives as a custom specialityPlastics | – | – | non-industrial test quantities | smaller quantities / test quantities – larger quantities | Hot melt adhesives (100% solids system, solvent-free) |
| Production of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Synthetic rubber (styrenic block polymers), Acrylates, Polyolefin, Biopolymers |
| Production of UV-crosslinkable hot melt adhesives (UVC irradiation)Plastics | – | – | Coating weights up to 125 g/m² | – | Acrylates (UV hot melt adhesives) |
| Production of hot melt sealing adhesives (non-PSA)Plastics | – | – | – | – | EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) |
| Production of laminating adhesives (non-PSA)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Polyolefin, Biopolymers |
| Production of breathable adhesivesPlastics | – | – | – | – | Hot melt adhesives |
| Production of antimicrobial adhesivesPlastics | – | – | – | – | Hot melt adhesives |
| Production of sterile / sterilisation-resistant adhesives (ethylene oxide, gamma, X-rays)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Hot melt adhesives |
| Production of low-peel adhesives for sensitive skinPlastics | – | – | – | – | Hot melt adhesives |
| Production of water-absorbing adhesives (hydrocolloid) for wound dressingsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Hot melt adhesives |
| Production of biobased adhesivesPlastics | – | – | – | – | Biobased raw materials (wood, molasses, plant oils) |
| Production of coloured and colour-changing adhesivesPlastics | – | – | – | – | Hot melt adhesives |
| Production of laser-markable adhesives (artimeltlasermarkable)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Hot melt adhesives |
| Production of recyclable / recycling-enabling / compostable adhesives (artimeltPlastics | – | – | – | – | Recyclable, biobased, biodegradable raw materials |
| Discontinuous batch production (mixing of raw materials at 130–190 degrees)Plastics | – | – | – | smaller quantities / non-industrial – larger quantities | Hot melt raw materials |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot plant | – | 1 | – | 1982 | Sursee, Switzerland |
| Pilot plant (second generation) | – | 1 | – | 1989 | Sursee, Switzerland |
| Pilot plant (third generation) | – | 1 | – | 2008 | Sursee, Switzerland |
Additional services
Reference customers
Certified production
All raw materials are already inspected upon delivery; after the mixing process, all hot melts are checked for viscosity, melting point and other properties. Production is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and (EN) ISO 13485.
| Evidence | Sursee |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | |
| ISO 14001:2015 | |
| (EN) ISO 13485:2016 | |
| EcoVadis Bronze | |
| EnAW certificate |
History
- 1981
Start of hot melt adhesive production in Sursee (hygiene, labels, tapes, bookbinding)
- 1982
Commissioning of the first pilot plant
- 1988
Know-how build-up and first trials with UV-crosslinking adhesives
- 1989
Commissioning of a second-generation pilot plant; first trials with adhesives for medical applications
- 1990
1990–1998 ongoing expansion of production and storage capacities
- 1992
Market launch of adhesives for medical applications
- 1993
First certification to ISO 9001
- 1994
Market launch of UV-crosslinking adhesives (pioneer for self-adhesive labels)
- 1995
Market launch of the first generation of moisture-crosslinking polyolefin adhesives
- 1999
First certification to ISO 14001
- 2003
Sale of the hygiene division to Henkel
- 2004
Market launch of the first generation of linerless adhesives
- 2005
First certification to (EN) ISO 13485
- 2008
Commissioning of a third-generation pilot plant
- 2016
Founding of artimelt as a consolidation of hot melt expertise under one roof
- 2017
Founding of the Experience Lab and realignment of the partner process
- 2018
Product launches artimeltlinerless (2nd generation), artimelthydrocolloid, artimeltantimicrobial
- 2019
Product launches artimeltsurface, artimeltsepia, artimeltuvcurable