The less effort is required, the more willing customer are to try out something new. In the case of the one-component PUR adhesive Elastan TLP 15 from BASF and its sales partner Türmerleim, the effort basically consists of connecting the new adhesive container and getting started. “We did tests with two 200-kg containers, and we also included the test samples for approval by the Materials Testing Institute MPA,” Quirin Schaub, who is responsible for the project at Hördener, tells us. But let’s start from the beginning.
Hördener Holzwerk has been finger-jointing mass timber in Gaggenau since the late 1970s, and the company has worked with adhesive supplier Türmerleim for just as long. “Since our early days, we have always worked well with the adhesive expert,” managing director Dominik Strobel emphasizes who particularly values the adhesive’s performance as well as the partnership with and geographical proximity to Türmerleim.
In 2021, Türmerleim’s application engineer Matthias Weber contacted Hördener. He brought with him the recently approved Elastan TLP 15 one-component PUR adhesive and planned to increase the plant performance by 20% or more without much effort. “We weren’t looking for a new adhesive, but we immediately recognized the advantages,” Schaub recalls.
Tailored to the plant
Hördener Holzwerk uses two presses, each with two chambers, to press its glue-laminated timber and glulam beams. Due to the plant’s structure, each press cake has to have a certain minimum height. “As a result, we need a certain open time, whereas the pressing time could easily be shorter,” Strobel explains, emphasizing that the TLP 15 meets precisely these requirements. “With an open time to pressing time ratio of 1:2, we are now making the best possible use of our machines. As soon as the last pressing chamber is filled, we can already open the first one again. This results in a 20% higher output in each shift.”
According to Weber, the open time to pressing time ratio could be further optimized to up to 1:1.5, and the amount of adhesive used could be reduced as well. “Neither one of these options is of much interest to us, though, because our plant technology does not allow it. Also, we like to work with sufficient safety reserves,” Strobel comments.
After the successful tests at the end of 2022, the surface gluing process was changed in January 2023. Since then, Hördener has been working with disposable fluid bags. In the future, however, these are to be replaced by so-called Ecobulks, i.e. reusable 1,100 kg IBCs with funnel-shaped spouts which ensure that there are no residual quantities left in the containers.
Flexible primer
In early 2024, BASF expanded its Elastan TLP adhesive line to include a universal primer for the gluing of larch, Douglas fir, beech and hybrid products, and also for other types of wood in the future. The product is available either as a ready-to-use solution or a concentrate. According to Weber, its main advantages include the small application quantity of 6 to 12 g/m² and the flash-off times which range from just a few minutes to several hours. The primer does not require special labeling and can be applied using the water spray system. As a result, no additional investments need to be made.
After the first successful tests in Türmerleim’s technical center, the primer was also tested by Hördener a few weeks ago, and the company is currently waiting for the results of the Materials Testing Institute MPA. “Since everything has worked so well with Türmerleim, we assume that the product will also pass this MPA test without any problems,” Schaub tells us.
Specifically, the company from Gaggenau wants to use the primer for gluing larch Duo beams in the future. “Before, we have served this niche outside of the CE standard. Now, we can tap into new markets,” Strobel explains.
Support through assistance systems
The glue assistant developed by Türmerleim has long been established in the melamine segment. “Our glue assistant monitors production, records every gluing process in detail, thereby making work easier and the process safer,” Weber says, summarizing the advantages and adding that it is also possible to optimize the amount of glue applied on each individual lamella.
At the moment, Türmerleim is developing a comparable system for the PU segment with the aim of offering even better support to all Elastan customers. The company already provides PAM, a digital platform for assistance systems and machine data, to all of its industrial customers. “PAM monitors the temperature and humidity at all relevant points and sends me an automatically generated PDF with the respective data. It also shows our employees the temperature and humidity in production in real time. This saves us even more important time during production,” Schaub says, who is more than satisfied.