Experience Expertise: 

Career paths sometimes twist and turn. Kai Ethner’s 25-year journey has led him across departments and industries – gathering deeper knowledge with every step. Now, he uses his unique versatility and experience to lead the technical team for packaging solutions at Henkel. Together, Kai and his colleagues are developing innovations that support customers in making a successful response to big trends that are transforming the packaging industry.

Industrial companies have many departments. Kai Ethner has worked in many of them. Since completing his studies in mechanical engineering and business, he has taken technical roles and positions in Sales and Marketing. His career has also included jobs enabling successful mergers, acquisitions and integration activities. Today, he leads a team of innovators who develop the latest adhesive and coating applications for the packaging market worldwide.

In more than a quarter of century, Kai has seen and supported big changes in different industries. Packaging producers and consumer brands previously put their main focus on the performance and price of solutions. Now, there is a major shift toward prioritizing technologies that can cut CO2 emissions and enable recyclability.

Packaging Partnerships

Kai’s work includes collaborating with partners who share Henkel’s commitment to innovation for sustainability. The cooperation with recycling specialist Saperatec is a strong example. The pioneers are exploring cost-efficient technologies to separate materials in flexible laminates. This makes it possible to recycle this important but challenging form of packaging.

Adhesives and coatings from the LOCTITE LIOFOL RE range are at the heart of Henkel’s contribution to sustainability. These innovations are designed for recycling because they can be separated from individual layers of flexible packaging without damaging the materials. That enables plastic and aluminum to re-enter the value chain.

Trends and Opportunities

Alongside trends for more debondable and recyclable solutions for packaging, Kai and his team are providing innovations that offer a wide range of other functions. This includes developing technologies that form a strong barrier to protect the contents of packaging against damage or contamination from moisture, oxygen or other pollutants.

Kai uses his deep expertise to identify changes in the market. He then works closely with colleagues and customers to develop the best possible solutions. Whatever new regulations, customer expectations or technologies shape the future – Kai and his expert team will be ready to help partners in the packaging industry turn trends into opportunities.