Welsh recycling company Techlan has partnered with adhesive manufacturer Gluecom to bring circular economy technology to the e-commerce packaging industry.
The partnership combines Techlan’s proven release liner recycling process with Gluecom’s adhesive expertise to give e-commerce packaging manufacturers an alternative to traditional suppliers that struggle with long lead times and sustainability requirements.
Techlan recycles used release liners that are by-products from aerospace, automotive, and composite manufacturing process. These would typically be destined for landfill. Through their innovative cleaning process, these liners are restored and re-purposed as a cover strip for self-adhesive closures in e-commerce packaging. The release liner prevents dust or damage to the adhesive before use, ensuring a strong, clean seal – crucial for secure shipping.
The partnership matters because e-commerce packaging manufacturers have been struggling with long lead times and pressure to find sustainable alternatives.
Technology That Actually Works
Techlan has been running its recycling operation since 2009. The company takes waste silicone release liner and processes them through its patented cleaning process that uses no water or harmful chemicals. What comes out is Re-Liner, a 100% recycled release liner that performs just as well as new material. The result is shorter delivery times and 67% less carbon emissions compared to virgin materials.
Having the right adhesive is important depending on the application, and that’s where Gluecom comes in – they have many adhesives ready for different substrates and applications. Gluecom worked with Techlan to make sure their products work together reliably.
Real Results
The Cardboard Box Company has been using the combination for their e-commerce packaging production. Nick Lee, their Operations Director, said the switch has transformed their operations.
“We’re seeing consistent performance across all our packaging lines, with significantly reduced environmental impact. The shorter lead times have been a game-changer for our cash flow and customers love that we can offer them a truly sustainable packaging without compromising on quality” Lee said.
The recycled release liner come in different formats – coils, pancakes, spools or bobbins – and can be cut to customer requirements. Customers also get monthly reports showing their carbon reduction.
Market Timing
E-commerce packaging demand keeps growing while sustainability regulations get stricter. The partnership gives manufacturers a recycled alternative that works as well as virgin materials but with better supply chain flexibility.
For Techlan, e-commerce represents their biggest expansion opportunity yet. They’ve been successfully recycling release liners for other industries for over a decade, but the e-commerce market is much larger.
The partnership shows recycled materials can match traditional performance while solving real business problems like lead times and environmental impact.
