Hanes Australasia opts for Herma InNo-Liner technology

Headquartered in Melbourne and employing around 4,400 people, Hanes will be commissioning the first two linerless systems in August 2021, with another set to follow.

‘The Herma InNo-Liner technology was the perfect solution for Hanes to adopt at the back end of its supply chain,’ said Kate Appleby, national sales manager at Label Manufacturers Australia, part of the TMA Group and Herma’s local sales partner. ‘An important factor was a strong ROI when replacing conventional label materials and machinery currently installed. The calculation also took into account savings in the material itself, removing waste disposal costs, and a host of other measurable benefits.’

Michael Dossor, group general manager of Result Group responsible for overseeing the project, added: ‘For some time now we’ve been offering linerless solutions for primary packaging products, and we’ve seen the demand for these continue to grow on sustainability grounds. So, it’s all the more pleasing for us to have, in the shape of the Herma InNo-Liner system for secondary shipper packaging, a compelling solution suitable even for the demanding conditions on the logistics and warehouse shipping side.’

Developed specifically for shipping labels, the InNo-Liner system is based on a unique multi-layer adhesive variant, which is non-sticky at first, and a custom-made micro-atomizer, which activates the adhesive. The process is based entirely on water: in other words, it does not involve any solvents, heat or other media associated with possibly undesirable side effects. 

As the winner of the German Packaging Prize in the sustainability category in 2019, the Herms InNo-Liner system is claimed to be the world’s first and only system capable of operating consistently at the speeds and with the process reliability demanded by logistics centers. The desired effect – extremely high adhesion of the labels – arises from the interaction of the atomizer with the patented multi-layer adhesive 82S.

Water consumption is minimal, with any unused water is refiltered and recycled in the system. The activation unit can be cleaned as required, but necessary manual intervention consists primarily of renewing label rolls. Herma also offers thermal transfer and direct thermal options for printing variable data on the labels, which can be also Labels pre-printed in color with conventional techniques.