Henkel and Dow expand partnership to reduce adhesive emissions, integrate low-carbon feedstocks, and scale sustainable solutions globally.
Henkel Adhesive Technologies and Dow have deepened their long-standing strategic partnership to accelerate decarbonization efforts within the adhesives sector. As part of this initiative, Henkel will begin incorporating low-carbon feedstocks and renewable electricity into its hot melt adhesive manufacturing processes. This approach is expected to reduce the carbon footprint of individual product lines by 20 to 40 percent, depending on the specific formulation and application.
The partnership builds on years of innovation-driven collaboration and represents a tangible step toward Henkel’s commitment to science-based targets for carbon emission reduction (SBTi). The initial focus is on Henkel’s hot melt adhesives portfolio, which primarily serves the packaging and consumer goods sectors. By targeting these high-impact product lines first, the companies aim to demonstrate how meaningful emission reductions can be achieved across industrial adhesive applications.
“Our collaboration with Dow exemplifies Henkel’s ambition to advance industrial sustainability in a practical and measurable way,” said Jenna Koenneke, Sustainability Director at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. “Through the integration of low-carbon materials and renewable energy in our production processes, we are setting an example for how partnerships across the value chain can drive accelerated sustainability outcomes.”
Early results from the implementation of these initiatives are already encouraging. Selected hot melt adhesive technologies are showing improved emission profiles, confirming the potential of combining low-carbon feedstocks with process-emission reduction strategies. These successes will feed into a broader strategy to scale low-carbon solutions across Henkel’s entire adhesives portfolio, leveraging Dow’s expertise in advanced materials science to enhance environmental performance.
Peter Sandkuehler, Senior Business Sustainability Director at Dow, emphasized the broader impact of the partnership: “This collaboration highlights the growing market demand for low-carbon products and underscores the need for increased investment to support industry-wide net-zero ambitions. We are proud to continue this journey with Henkel.”
Initially, the program will focus on materials supplied to Henkel operations in Europe, with plans to extend the initiative to North America in the near future. This phased rollout aligns with Henkel’s broader climate goals, including a 30% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030 and a 90% reduction by 2045, while simultaneously supporting Dow’s strategy to decarbonize its materials and grow sustainably.
Henkel and Dow will present their progress at K2025 in Düsseldorf. On October 9 at 14:00 CET, they will host a joint Transformation Talk titled “Success Story: Reducing Product Carbon Footprint in Practice” at the Dow booth in Hall 04.1. The session will highlight how value chain collaboration can deliver scalable, practical climate solutions across industries.
This announcement is part of a broader set of sustainability initiatives by Henkel and its partners, emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and leadership in climate action across multiple regions.
