Leading apparel business Hanes Australasia says YES to Herma InNo Liner Linerless labelling system and reaps the REWARDS and AWARDS.
Result Group and Hanes Australasia
GOLD – Sustainable Packaging Design – Labelling: Herma InNo Liner Labelling
SILVER – Labelling& Decoration Design of the Year: Herma InNo Liner Labelling
With an increased focus on environmental sustainability and a high demand for waste reduction, the packaging industry has made a lot of noise about a number of packaging innovations. However, when it comes to labelling space, it is not easy to identify a sustainable and eco-friendly approach, since nearly all labelling materials cannot avoid the use liner materials or silicon coating … UP UNTIL NOW.
What the industry hasn’t seen yet is the capacity of the Herma InNo Liner, introduced to the region by the Result Group and installed at Hanes Australasia’s Distribution Centre in Melbourne. The system is operational and labelling 24 hours a day with no release liner, no silicon content and no waste disposal.
Herma InNo Liner is a truly sustainable labelling option. It contains no liner material, is silicone-free, and enables environmentally friendly packaging through use of shipping labels that contain no liner waste material.
The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) places Removal/reduction at the top of the packaging recycling Hierarchy. The Herma InNo liners systems fit into this category based on the removal of traditional liner materials. They are gone, there is no waste.
This innovative technology requires the simultaneous application of two layers of adhesive. Until the dispensing process begins, the outer adhesive layer remains inactive. As part of the application process water is misted onto the dry adhesive instantly creating a permanent adhesive ready to be applied to the cartons as normal.
When compared to a traditional self-adhesive label, the costs are lower, and the costs for disposing of the liner material are eliminated. The materials used are the same as those used today and perform to industry standards. Herma InNo liner uses what works and simply take away the landfill component 100%.
Similarly, because the weight of the liners is removed, the freight costs of linerless label rolls can be reduced by up to 50%. Waste disposal costs are reduced because there are no liners to discard or collect from a production area. Everything is halved from current usage figures. More material fits on a reel to reduce operator interaction and change over times. There is no waste matrix that again becomes landfill as there is no gap required like a traditional Self Adhesive liner based material.
“At Result Group, we are constantly on the lookout for new and innovative solutions from around the world, and Herma has been a long-term, valued partner of ours. For over a decade, we have proudly distributed Herma labelling machines and self-adhesive materials in Australia. The innovative HERMA InNo-Liner System is the result of HERMA’s pioneering work and many years of advancement in multi-layer technology for adhesive material production combined with the machine division who produces the applicator. This is a game changer for Tertiary carton labelling,” said Michael Dossor, Group General Manager at Result Group.
Hanes Australasia, the owner of such brands in Australia as Bonds, Sheridan, Champion and Bras N Things, was an early adopter of the innovative solution Herma InNo Liner, implementing the new Herma linerless technology as part of its 2025 global sustainability goals. Hanes originally installed two Herma InNo Liner machines at its Melbourne Distribution Centre, followed by a new order for multiple units recently.
“Hanes Australasia is committed to a more sustainable future and have set ambitious goals to achieve zero waste across our operations by 2025. The implementation of Herma labelling equipment in our Distribution Centre is a reflection of this commitment to more sustainable practices and our leadership in implementing innovative solutions. The Herma labelling equipment proved to be an effective solution where we have seen a reduction of over 2.0 tonne of waste and has provided valuable insights into the potential for further innovations in sustainable technology”, said Sebastain Siccita, General Manager – Logistics and Operations Hanes Australasia.
“Herma is a leading label technology manufacturer in Germany, specialising in the entire field of self-adhesive technology… But what Herma’s team has accomplished in the last few years in the field of sustainability with InNo liners cannot be compared with any other product. Many companies have tried and failed to master linerless labelling and none have mastered linerless silicon free, but Herma succeeded; they mastered and introduced the most sustainable solution in a labelling. 100% Germany quality… We’re proud to be in a position where we can support sustainability in the logistics and distribution space in any industry in ways never available before,” said Michael Dossor, Group General Manager at Result Group.
Labelling currently generates millions of tonnes of waste liner and it serves no purpose once the labels are applied. Avoiding this residual material completely eliminates the current costly disposal and recycling operations can continue as normal with no new material or silicon being added to the cardboard or label themselves. Millions of squares meters of backing (liner) material can be removed and their costly disposal or worse yet seeing it end up in landfill.
A huge amount of waste is avoided because the HERMA InNo-Liner system can drastically minimise the entire climate-relevant CO2 footprint of labels.
What are the benefits in a nutshell compared to standard Self Adhesive technology;
- No liner waste and therefore no waste disposal costs
- Lower transport volume and weight and therefore reduced CO2 emissions
- More material on each roll and therefore fewer roll changes
- Less material consumption (No label feed or waste stripping)
- No Issues with torn backing paper, there is none
- Ability to produce Variable label length
- Free from silicone and any other additives
- More material on each roll and therefore Less warehousing space
The printing possibilities are endless. Each label is printed uniquely for its use case in supply chain management, to be scanned and diverted in warehouses, shipping, or supply chain. Barcodes are currently being printed. The system used traditional Direct Thermal or Thermal Transfer printers that are industry standard today.
If necessary, this could be expanded to include 2D codes to cover any advanced supply chain requirement or standard. Consumer QR codes and traceability for real-time supply chain movement and tracking could be added.
Strong ROI is delivered with not just material savings but the oncosts that go with it are removed as well, materials are less expensive because there is less material, and the liner is no longer present so you don’t need to throw it away.
Labelling in the shipping industry currently leaves behind millions of tonnes of liner material that is completely useless after the labelling process all over the world. The complete removal of this residue also means the complete removal of previously required and costly disposal or recycling processes.
Having just been awarded Gold in the PIDA 2023 Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year and Silver in the Labelling and Decoration Design of the Year, it’s fair to say the industry is taking notice of the Herma InNO Liner system. Hanes Australasia have been the early adopter and should be congratulated for their forward thinking.
The solution is here, implemented in Australia by Hanes and Result Group. Now it’s your call to make … Herma InNo liner is exclusively distributed by Result Group in Australia and New Zealand.
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