Henkel slashes adhesive can emissions by 62% with thyssenkrupp’s bluemint steel

GERMANY – Henkel has switched its European tinplate cans for contact adhesives and pipe adhesives to thyssenkrupp Rasselstein’s bluemint® steel, achieving a 62 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to conventional tinplate, without compromising product quality or performance.

The sustainable packaging concept emerged from close collaboration between Henkel’s Adhesive Technologies business unit, thyssenkrupp Rasselstein, Germany’s only tinplate manufacturer, and Austrian metal packaging specialist Pirlo.

Under the leading Tangit brand, Henkel has offered certified high-performance piping solutions for over 60 years and is now among the first manufacturers worldwide to use bluemint steel for pipe adhesives, alongside contact adhesives for professional craftsmen and consumers.

The Technology Behind the Reduction

Bluemint steel achieves its dramatically lower carbon footprint through a refined production process that uses specially processed steel scrap in the blast furnace, reducing reliance on CO₂‑intensive raw materials.

The specific emissions are externally verified and certified by TÜV SÜD and DNV.

Clarissa Odewald, CEO of thyssenkrupp Rasselstein, explained that with bluemint steel, the company enables customers to measurably improve the carbon footprint of their packaging, without compromising on quality, safety, or processing performance.

Baptiste Chieze, Director Marketing, Digital & E‑Commerce for consumer adhesives at Henkel, noted that sustainability is an integral part of the company’s strategy, and the new packaging concept is another strong demonstration of delivering on ambitious packaging targets without compromising product performance.

He added that the use of bluemint steel also strengthens the sustainable positioning of leading brands such as Tangit among professional craftsmen and consumers.

Recycling: Tinplate’s Built-in Circular Advantage

Tinplate packaging is already the most recycled packaging material in Europe, with an 83.7 percent recycling rate, substantially higher than any other packaging format.

Steel used in packaging can be recycled repeatedly with virtually no material loss and operates within closed-loop material cycles. In Germany, tinplate achieves a recycling rate of 94.3 percent in private end consumption, underscoring the material’s exceptional circularity.

The partnership demonstrates how CO₂-reduced materials can be integrated into existing packaging infrastructure without requiring additional investment or process changes.

Henkel’s new cans maintain the same durability, barrier properties, and handling characteristics as conventional tinplate, critical requirements for adhesive products that must withstand transport, storage, and professional use.

For the packaging industry, the Henkel–thyssenkrupp–Pirlo collaboration offers a replicable model for reducing Scope 3 emissions through material innovation.

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