Experience Expertise:

It sometimes feels like modern technologies have magic powers – but the truth is even more inspiring. Every day, hard-working engineers use deep experience and know-how to open up new pathways to a better future. Paul Baietto is one of those passionate experts. He’s proud to tell the story of how his colleagues joined forces to create an innovative sealant for food cans that is now helping customers cut costs, increase efficiency and boost sustainability.

Across nearly 2,000 days of travel, the biochemistry expert has made almost 750 visits to can-making facilities around the globe. Paul took a role as an application engineer in 2004 because he wanted to work more closely with customers. He now shares his experience and expertise to support troubleshooting and process improvement – together with specialists from across departments. The team’s latest success, WBC 711, is a powerful example of how Henkel creates value for customers

Problem + Paul = Solution

A customer called Paul with a problem. They wanted new sealants to take their process for making food cans to the next level. But they didn’t want to invest in next-generation shower head or die-lining equipment. The Henkel experts started developing a new formula to make that wish come true. They visited customers to conduct tests. And guess what? It works!

WBC 711 is a water-based sealant for rectangular and oval ends (known as irregular ends) on tinplate or aluminum food cans lined by shower head or die lining. It can be used for hot and cold filling, as well as double-seaming applications with or without steam injection. It is compatible with pasteurization and sterilization processes. It offers good resistance to oil and water. And it’s compliant with European and American food law regulation too.

Sustainable Success

The innovative technology also helps customers make important contributions to sustainability because it delivers outstanding performance with reduced consumption of water and energy. It decreases greenhouse gas emissions from these applications by 37 percent compared to the compounds it replaces (based on Henkel Cradle-to-Gate LCA, excluding use phase and end-of-life emissions, calculation using equivalent film volume recommended for ¼ club cans and not including use of non-web additives).

WBC 711 has a long pot life that cuts metal waste because shower head nozzles clog less easily, preventing quality defects. The sealant can be applied more cleanly, which decreases sealant waste. It saves resources because there’s no need for new application machinery. The new solution also helps customers to save money by eliminating the need for additives to avoid problems like webbing or cloudy, elongated compound droplets.