Demand is up for heat seal adhesives and barrier coatings on paper packaging: form-fill-seal, stand-up pouches, and single-use food packs. The point is source reduction. Less package weight, less waste, and a construction that can be coated instead of laminated to a film that will not repulp.
Why run them together
The hard part is barrier and heat seal without a multi-layer plastic stack (PE, EVOH, PET) that cannot be separated at end of life. The barrier coating holds out water, moisture vapor, oil, and grease. The heat seal coating is coated and dried now, and heat reactivates it to form the bond later, in-line or offline.
Water-based heat seal and barrier coatings can replace a thicker extruded polyolefin layer, often at a lower coat weight.
What to check
Paper usually needs a double bump so the film is continuous and pin-hole free. Grade and coat weight depend on smoothness, porosity, and holdout. Cobb, dye stain, oil/grease resistance, MVTR, and OTR are the checks. Heat seals are sensitive to substrate and sealing conditions.
Where they run
- Form-fill-seal and stand-up pouches
- Food and flexible packaging
- Yogurt lidding and blister packs
- Sugar and flour bags
- Fast-food carton board
- Protective wraps
Pick the line
Heat Seal Adhesives
Hot melt, water-based, and solvent heat seal, plus heat seal films and tapes. Coat now, activate later.
View heat sealBarrier Coatings
100% water-based coatings for paper, board, and corrugated. Water, moisture vapor, oil, and grease holdout.
View barrier coatingsHeat seal & barrier coating FAQ
Heat seal adhesives
What is heat seal adhesive?
Heat seal adhesive is coated on paper, film, nonwoven, or foil and dried. The bond forms later, when heat reactivates it, in-line or offline.
Which heat seal products does Cattie make?
Hot melt heat seals, heat seal films and tapes, water-based heat seal, and solvent-based heat seal and overprint coatings.
What are heat seal adhesives used for?
Food packaging, flexible packaging, paper converting, yogurt lidding, blister packs, and credit-card lamination.
How is heat seal adhesive applied?
By knife-over-roll, reverse roll, nip, gravure, brush, spray, or roller.
What heat seal properties can Cattie formulate?
Viscosity, solids, non-blocking, clarity, and seal temperature. Stock water-based grades cover low-heat reseal on PET and foils, non-blocking food packaging, yogurt lidding, flexible packaging, and polyester films for extrusion laminating.
How do I get a heat seal match, SDS, or TDS?
Call 800-249-0337 or email sales@cattieadhesives.com. Tell us the stock you coat and the seal temperature you need, and ask for the SDS, TDS, and activation temperature. Cattie Adhesives is based in Quakertown, PA 18951.
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Barrier coatings
What is a barrier coating?
A barrier coating on paper, paperboard, or corrugated blocks water, moisture vapor, oil, and grease. MVTR (moisture vapor transmission rate) is how we talk about that holdout.
What are barrier coatings used for?
Food and moisture-sensitive packs use them for shelf life. Cattie barrier coatings run on sugar and flour bags, seafood, poultry, and beef corrugated, cheese foils, fast-food carton board, protective wraps, and fire-starter-log films.
Are Cattie barrier coatings water-based?
Yes. Cattie barrier coatings are 100% water-based with no VOCs.
How are barrier coatings applied?
By rod coater or printing press. Grades come in low, medium, or high viscosity.
What barrier properties do the stock grades cover?
Stock grades range from a water and grease/oil balance, to high water resistance, to a binder for base coats, to high grease and oil holdout for paper plates.
How do I get a barrier coating matched to my board?
Spec the pack and send board samples for a drawdown. Call 800-249-0337 or email sales@cattieadhesives.com to request a sample. Cattie Adhesives is based in Quakertown, PA 18951.
Read before you run
Heat seal adhesives and barrier coatings for paper · How to select heat seal coatings for lidding · Sustainable barrier coatings for paper: moisture, OTR, oil, grease resistant · How to test for grease resistance using TAPPI UM 557 grease-kit solutions
Send board samples for a drawdown. Call 800-249-0337 for SDS, TDS, and activation temperature.
