Solvent-free adhesives characterize the Thomsit product range for carpet and floorcovering installation. For stairs and rostrums, however, there was no competitive alternative to Neoprene adhesives with a high solvent content. Until now. With the newly developed Thomsit T 2001 EcoTack adhesive tape, Henkel has now launched an environmentally compatible alternative, which poses no health risk. The new product combines excellent performance with shorter installation times.

The Neoprene adhesives used until now for difficult bonding tasks have attracted frequent criticism for environmental and health reasons, as the solvents they contain evaporate during use and may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. The new product is based on a solvent-free adhesive film, which is attached to a stabilizing carrier tape. The adhesive bonds instantly and can resist an applied load immediately. This saves time for flooring professionals, as waiting and drying times are no longer necessary and the adhesive no longer needs to be laboriously applied to the floorcovering and the substrate.    

Thomsit EcoTack takes Henkel an important step towards a completely solvent-free range of floorcovering adhesives. More than 60 percent of all Thomsit dispersion adhesives are already solvent free and conform to the strict health and environmental-protection requirements of the EMICODE EC1 label. The aim is to increase this figure to 90 percent by 2005.