New Solventless, Fast-cure Adhesive from Dow Improves Productivity and Lowers Laminating Costs

The Adhesives and Functional Polymers business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) today announced the availability of its new Mor-Free™ L75-173/C-145 solvent-free, 100 percent solids, polyurethane adhesive system for flexible packaging.

The two-component product is formulated as a lower-cost alternative to adhesives currently on the market for laminating and general-to-medium performance packaging applications. The Company is advising converters seeking to lower production costs for packaging laminations that this fast-curing Mor-Free adhesive can be applied at room temperature, and such laminates can generally be further processed in as little as six hours. Chemical curing typically requires up to five days at ambient temperatures. New Mor-Free L75-173/C-145 may be run at speeds as high as 1500 feet per minute while maintaining excellent appearance on a wide variety of substrates. It can be used for laminating all polyolefin films, including LDPE to LDPE, OPP to OPP, and OPP to LDPE, as well as nylon, aluminum, polyester, and other packaging substrates. The films may be unprinted or reverse printed with the appropriate laminating grade inks. A long pot life is also a feature of this adhesive.

Neil Carr, Global Vice President, Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers states, “Our superior technical expertise first led to perfecting solventless adhesives for laminating and general to medium-performance packaging applications in the 1980s. We have leveraged years of proven performance to bring converters the latest in solventless technology. Mor-Free™ L75-164, the predecessor of Mor-Free L75-173/C-145, revolutionized the way converters handle their materials in house.” Mor-Free™ L75-164 was widely adopted, since it provides significant bonds within two hours, cures within four hours to allow same shift slitting to proceed, and can cure completely in just three days to more quickly allow fill operations — instead of the typical two to three weeks of storage before use. The new Mor-Free L75-173/C-145 solventless polyurethane adhesive system approaches the desired performance of its predecessor, but at a reduced material cost.

To learn more, visit www.rohmhaas.com.

About Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers

Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers is a portfolio of three businesses - Packaging and Converting, Tape Labels and Textiles and Industrial Functional Polymers - primarily made of sticking and bonding solutions, serving the flexible packaging business, adhesive tapes and paper labels, and a mixed range of applications including auto, imaging & leather. Together these businesses offer an integrated technology platform with formulation capabilities and a capacity to serve tailored needs globally. A business group within Dow’s Advanced Material Division, Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers generates $1B of revenue while operating a network of over 40 Technical, R&D and Manufacturing sites to serve local customer needs globally. For more information visit www.rohmhaas.com.

About Dow

Dow combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses deliver a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

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