News 2013

Henkel Beauty Care Professional division in Colombia executes one of the most important re-launches in the coloration’s history: IGORA ROYAL, Real Color in High Definition.

Henkel has developed a new polyurethane matrix resin for the resin transfer molding process (RTM) that will speed up the production of composite components in the automotive industry. Henkel’s know-how in the field of polyurethane-based composite matrix resins and the expertise of KraussMaffei, one of the world’s leading makers of manufacturing and processing machinery for plastics, have proven to be a perfect match. The outcome: Curing times of just one minute are now possible – a significant advance for fast and efficient volume production of fiber composite components.

Henkel in Argentina aims to promote environmental awareness among its communities through a theater, with a reach of some 5,000 children this year.

Nowadays the smartphone in particular is an ever present companion, offering fast access to information ranging from public transport schedules, restaurant finders and beyond. Not only from a personal level, mobile devices are becoming more and more a daily companion for professionals in their daily work. Henkel has now launched a mobile website specifically for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) technicians with product information and wide-ranging tips on application techniques for its key brands like Loctite.

Held on May 14 and 15, the ECR (Efficient Consumer Response) Europe Conference & Marketplace saw experts and decision-makers from the consumer goods sector meet to exchange views on a range of interrelated issues. Henkel was also again represented at this specialist congress to discuss the future trends and challenges affecting the industry. At the center of this debate is the question as to how all parties along the value chain can work together to encourage sustainable consumption – from the manufacture of sustainable products to communication at the point of sale.

Climbing out onto the viewing platform of London’s new “secret” landmark, the Shard, yields an unforgettable panorama. In fact, the trip to the 244 meter high 68th storey of the skyscraper is an experience in itself. The elevator zips skyward at a dizzy six meters per second. Meanwhile, the London Symphony Orchestra plays sounds specifically composed to soothe the car occupants from the off. For tourists from around the world, this has become an engrossing experience, the full enjoyment of which owes not a little to modern adhesives, sealants and surface treatment technologies supplied by the world market leader in the adhesives field: Henkel.

A trend is taking hold across the automotive industry – sound-deadening materials that can be sprayed onto car bodies by robots are increasingly replacing bitumen mats. Henkel is now introducing the fourth generation of its rubber-based acoustic materials to the market.

Adhesives are essential for many forms of food packaging, and so is the wealth of expertise in this field available from Henkel, the world’s largest adhesives manufacturer. Henkel’s know-how can contribute considerably to providing confidence and peace of mind in the eyes of the food industry and consumers alike. Now, with its comprehensive information platform “Food Safe Packaging,” Henkel intends to make this expertise even more widely available to decision-makers in the food packaging sector.

Henkel is appearing at LIGNA 2013 from May 6 to May 10 in Hannover, where it is presenting its range of new adhesives for the furniture industry. Aside from high heat resistance and low application weights, these innovative products also create a visual appearance that can very much enhance the quality of the end result.

Henkel published its Q1 / 2013 Results on May 8, 2013. Watch the live interviews with Henkel CEO Kasper Rorsted on Bloomberg and CNBC.

• Sales rise 0.6% to 4,033 million euros (organic: +2.5%)
• Adjusted operating profit: +8.9% to 600 million euros
• Adjusted EBIT margin: +1.2 percentage points to 14.9%
• Adjusted earnings per preferred share (EPS): +10.3%* to 0.96 euros
• Strong sales growth in emerging markets (organic: +8.2%)

With the automotive industry’s fast-growing use of lightweight technologies and sustainable products, plus the ever present desire to reduce process cost, increasing attention is also now being given to innovative solutions for vehicle interiors. Taking place in Stuttgart from June 4 to June 6, “Engine Expo 2013” – Europe’s most important international trade fair for engine technologies – will be featuring a special show entitled “Automotive Interiors Expo” dedicated to the passenger compartment. Henkel will also be participating here, showcasing at its stand not only products for the manufacture of powertrains but also comprehensive single-source solutions for the assembly, installation and lamination of high-quality interior components.

Based on the belief that knowledge and education are key for a secure and better future, Schwarzkopf Professional runs the worldwide social initiative “Shaping Futures” that sees young adults being trained the craft of hairdressing by groups of volunteers. Launched in November 2010, the program has been rolled out to different countries all over the world and is constantly getting more interest from the media.  BBC Look North now reported on the pioneering social initiative by screening a special report from two of the volunteering hairdressers in Chennai, India.

On April 27, Henkel attended the 5th edition of the Earth University organized at UNESCO worldwide headquarters in Paris, France. Among the more than 7000 participants and 50 highly recognized experts, Uwe Bergmann and Sylvie Nicol from Henkel participated in two round-tables and shared the company’s strategy and perspective on the field of sustainability.

Henkel’s appearance at the ECR (Efficient Consumer Response) Europe Conference & Marketplace, a consumer goods sector event scheduled for May 14 and 15 in Brussels, will focus on food safety in packaging applications.

At the end of March, master students of the WHU, Otto Beisheim School of Management, visited Henkel Asia-Pacific and Shanghai headquarters. Within the framework of their course “International Module Chinas”, the participants of both the Full-Time and Part-Time MBA classes do not only participate in lectures given at three of China’s most renowned universities but also visit local and global companies including discussions with the management. 

On Saturday, April 27, Henkel will attend a forum called "Earth University" at UNESCO in Paris. Among other experts in the field of sustainability, also the two Henkel experts Uwe Bergmann and Sylvie Nicol will discuss how a company can reconcile economic growth, sustainable development and diversity.

Aimed at meeting the ever-increasing requirements on automotive efficiency, performance and service life, Henkel has developed an array of innovative product solutions covering the full range of powertrain manufacturing processes. Henkel’s presence at “Engine Expo 2013” – Europe’s leading international trade fair for engine technologies, taking place from June 4 to June 6 in Stuttgart, Germany – will focus on a range of multifunctional surface treatment solutions, adhesives and sealants designed to contribute to the optimization of assembly processes.

Held in Düsseldorf on April 15, 2013, the Annual General Meeting of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA saw all of its agenda resolutions passed by the voting shareholders, of whom a total of some 1,500 attended the event.

At Henkel’s Annual General Meeting today, CEO Kasper Rorsted reviewed the company’s successful performance over the preceding four years and outlined Henkel´s new strategy and financial targets for the period through 2016. Referring to the challenging economic environment between 2008 and 2012, he said: “We stayed on track and implemented our strategy. Despite all the headwinds, we succeeded in achieving our targets and even exceeding them.”

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Henkel Turkey. Since its foundation in Istanbul in 1963, Henkel Turkey has been introducing innovative products and solutions which meet the demands of the everyday life in Turkey. With leading brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Pritt, approximately 1.500 employees and three modern production plants, Henkel Turkey  today is one of the key countries in Henkel’s growth strategy.

Henkel is the first company in Colombia to be certified for its Energy Management Policy. This certification is an important milestone toward fulfilling Henkel’s Sustainability Strategy 2030.

Henkel Soad Israel won “Product of the Year Award Israel 2013” with its product “Floor Cleaning Liquid with Laundry Softener Scent” in the Home Care & Cleaning category.

The recent visit of Henkel CEO Kasper Rorsted in the offices of Henkel Ibérica was the perfect opportunity to introduce a pioneering initiative within Henkel’s offices: the ShopperLab.

Within a year of its launch, Persil Liquid Detergent for White Clothes with Oud Fragrance, has been voted as the Product of the Year in the GCC for 2013 in the Laundry Care category as part of a customer survey by leading market research company TNS. The Henkel product is the first-ever liquid detergent for white thobes across the Middle East.

Recognizing the emerging requirements of higher temperature, higher vibrational energy automotive sensor applications, Henkel has developed a new portfolio of silicone-based electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) with unique properties to address harsh environmental conditions. The Loctite Ablestik ICP 4000 series of ECAs withstand operating temperatures as high as 200 degrees Celsius and deliver the flexibility required to cope with significant vibration.

At a conference organized by the leading CSR voice in Spain, Corresponsables, a media outfit able to exert considerable influence both at the local level and on major national newspapers such as El País, El Mundo or La Vanguardia, Henkel participated in the first round table of the day dealing with global CSR trends and challenges. Thirty experts discussed related issues at the national and international level in front of 300 participants. 

For the second time in a row, Henkel has garnered the coveted “Supplier of the Year Award” conferred by the world's largest manufacturer of beverage cans, UK company Rexam PLC. Bestowed by the Rexam Beverage Can Europe division, Henkel received the accolade for, among other reasons, new products successfully launched last year, and with projects implemented at Rexam aimed at increasing the cost efficiency of production processes.

Innovative electronic materials must fulfill several key goals at once. They have to deliver consistently reliable technical performance in harsh environments, while also improving the sustainability profile and cost-effectiveness of production operations. These requirements are essential especially in the automotive industry. To meet them, Henkel has developed highly reliable adhesives, solder materials and underfills innovations, which will be debuted at SMT trade show in Nürnberg from April 16 to 18. 

Developed alongside and accepted by the automotive industry, Henkel announces the commercial availability of 90iSC, a high-reliability, lead-free solder alloy for demanding high-temperature applications.  The alloy, which addresses the drawbacks certain products experience with traditional SAC alloys, has been proven as a viable lead-free solution for applications where extremely high reliability is required.

To heighten the awareness of employees for sustainability and strengthen their engagement in this area, the Laundry & Home Care business sector of Henkel has established a “Sustainability Ambassadors” program. In online seminars, the employees obtain an overview of the global challenges involved in sustainable development and learn more about Henkel’s own sustainability strategy. Since the program began in July 2012, around 500 employees have successfully completed this training. This figure should rise to 1,000 by the end of 2013.

The international final of the “Henkel Innovation Challenge” in Shanghai saw 18 student teams from all over the world competing against one another. The students had three days in which to showcase their visionary ideas and themselves to a panel of Henkel managers. The jury ultimately selected the team from Germany as having submitted the best product vision for the year 2050. Susann Tiffany Leuchtmann, who is currently studying at the Copenhagen Business School, and Niels Henning Adler from the University of Mannheim are this year’s winners of the “Henkel Innovation Challenge”. In the final, the duo’s idea, “Syoss BREATHE” – a photosynthesis hair care product line – saw off the concepts entered by their international rivals to secure first place. 

Henkel is presenting a full range of new adhesives and coatings from March 19 to 21 at the International Converting Exhibition 2013 in Munich, Germany. With these latest innovations, the market leader in adhesives and sealants is further expanding its broad portfolio for the flexible packaging industry.

At this year’s ICE in Munich from March 19 to 21, Henkel will be presenting innovative pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) for manufacturing labels and self-adhesive films. With the acquisition last year of the high-performance pressure sensitive adhesives product range of the US-based specialty chemicals company Cytec Industries Inc., Henkel has further enhanced its competencies in high-performance pressure sensitive adhesives.

Labeling adhesives have to satisfy multiple requirements. A new generation of casein-free adhesives now offers extended properties and a performance profile that ensures trouble-free production processes for beverage manufacturers while extending their options. Worries that these innovative adhesives could cause problems in bottle cleaning plants have proven to be groundless.

'Welcome to the Colour Buzz' – the start of a new era. On the 3rd of March, 2013, a global community of 3.000 hairdressers from 48 countries came together to celebrate the NEW, history-in-the-making ESSENTIAL LOOKS collection 1:2013 by Schwarzkopf Professional.

The international final of the student competition titled “Henkel Innovation Challenge” is due to take place in China’s second largest metropolis from March 18 to March 20, with teams from around the world. Among others, teams from China, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and Russia will compete against each other in Shanghai. In total 18 international teams, each consisting of two students, will be competing against each other at the showdown in Shanghai.

Henkel is combining its specialist expertise in the field of polyurethane chemistry with the know-how of Benteler-SGL, one of the leading manufacturers of composite components for automotive applications. The collaboration has made it possible to mass-produce lightweight, fiber-reinforced leaf springs based on polyurethane matrix resin.

Formulated to address the drawbacks of alternative products, Henkel Electronic Materials announces the commercial availability of two encapsulants for selective protection of environmentally-susceptible components. The materials, Loctite Eccobond UV9060F and Loctite Eccobond EN 3707F, deliver an impermeable barrier to potential environmental influences and offer manufacturers cure process flexibility and deposition traceability.

Today Henkel published its Annual Results 2012. Watch the live interviews with Henkel CEO Kasper Rorsted on Bloomberg and CNBC.

• Sales rise 5.8 percent to 16,510 million euros (organic: +3.8%)
• Adjusted* operating profit: +15.1 percent to 2,335 million euros
• Adjusted* EBIT margin: +1.1 percentage points to 14.1%
• Adjusted* earnings per preferred share (EPS): +17.8% to 3.70 euros
• Strong performance in the emerging markets (organic: +7.8%)
• Proposed dividend: +18.8 percent to 0.95 euros per preferred share
• 2013 set to be another year of growth

Henkel is publishing its latest Sustainability Report today. The focus of this 22nd issue is on the implementation of the sustainability strategy that the company presented in 2012. At the core of the strategy is the goal of achieving more with less. Henkel intends to triple its resource efficiency by the year 2030. To achieve this ambition, Henkel is actively involving its employees in its strategy implementation programs and working with its partners to drive sustainability along the various value chains. 

Developed with and tested by professional Japanese hairstylists, SYOSS will be the first and only range of hair care in Indonesia that provides salon-beautiful results at home, everyday - whether consumers are looking for hair treatments, styling products or beautiful hair color.

The company was included in the special report published by the prestigious “Apertura” business magazine on the basis of its contribution to reducing its ecological footprint at Chivilcoy.

The Frekote products that Henkel will exhibit at the JEC Composites fair are highly efficient solutions for complex mold geometries. During the exhibition centering on the composites industry, which takes place from March 12 to 14 in Paris, the world’s leading adhesives manufacturer will present its product portfolio for the sector. Frekote is not only the brand for outstanding mold release agents; users also benefit from Henkel’s expertise in the development of customer-specific solutions.

Henkel has signed an agreement with the UK-based consumer products company PZ Cussons Plc to acquire their Polish Laundry and Home Care brands. The transaction includes predominantly detergents and fabric softeners of the “E” brand, and other smaller brands. The business operates mainly in Poland but also includes activities in Russia and other Central Eastern European countries.

Henkel will introduce a new branding approach for its industrial adhesive technologies business. The company’s brand portfolio has grown strongly over the past decades and has enabled Henkel to become the global market leader in adhesives, sealants and surface treatments. To improve the navigation through the brand portfolio, Henkel will now re-group its industrial business for adhesive technologies under five technology cluster brands, each of which will represent a cluster of specific technologies and applications.

Power electronics are experiencing a continuous rise in their power densities. As a consequence, thermal management for today’s power semiconductors must be integrated as early as their design phase. Only then can reliable cooling be safeguarded over the long term. A particularly important role is assigned to thermal conduction at the link between the component and the heat sink. In these cases, materials are often used that cannot meet the growing requirements. In its search for a remedy, Infineon Technologies AG has incorporated a TIM material solution from Henkel Electronic Materials to now make available a heat conducting compound optimized specifically for the architecture of power semiconductors in modules.

In Guatemala, Pril won a Silver Effie in the New Launches category as part of the “Marketing Communications Effectiveness Effie Awards 2012”, a competition sponsored by the Guatemalan Union of Advertising Agencies, the Advertisers Association of Guatemala, the American Chamber of Commerce, and the Managers Association of Guatemala.

At the 2013 American Cleaning Institute (ACI) Annual Meeting and Industry Convention, January 28 through February 2 in Orlando, Florida, Henkel recognized five suppliers for their outstanding cooperation. The “Best Innovation Contributor Award” was conferred to Novozymes and Dow Corning. Prize winners of the “Henkel Sustainability Award” were Monosol and Evonik Industries. The “Best Supply Performance Award” went to Ashland.

Henkel has been honored a further three times as a leading proponent of sustainability in its sector – both within Germany and in comparison with its international peers. And the company has also taken top positions in recent online sustainability communication rankings.

2013 sees 26-year-old Manuel Neuer, goalkeeper of the German national football team and Bayern Munich, at the heart of a German-wide advertising campaign launched by Metylan, the internationally successful Henkel brand for wallpapering products. The motto of this team play: "Metylan for a perfect hold – just like our Number 1."

Henkel, one of the leading adhesive companies, and DaniMer Scientific, LLC, a recognized leader in bio-based material technology, announced today that they have formed an alliance to develop hotmelt adhesives that use bio-based raw materials. The initial target for these bio-based hotmelt adhesives will be the consumer packaging market including applications of end of line and labeling.

Sergey Bykovskih has been appointed President of Henkel Russia, effective January 1, 2013. He also holds the position of General Manager Beauty Care Russia & CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). Peter Günther, who previously headed the company in Russia, will assume the position of General Manager Beauty Care and Laundry & Home Care Henkel Canada effective February 2013.